Tanners 2 - 2 Hendon (3-4 on penalties)

Leatherhead heroically bow out of the League Cup after taking Hendon all the way to penalties but fell short from the spot.

 

Hendon arrived at the Grove with a relatively strong side, albeit with only three players on the bench and their top striker rested.  That didn't stop them scoring first, when their player hit a volley over our 'keeper and into the side netting from a tight angle.

 

Hendon are at the wrong end of the table and so have their own defensive frailties to deal with, which Ty exposed by running onto a through-ball and tucking it between the legs of the young 'keeper.  1-1.

 

Overall, Leatherhead looked the better side and on 65 minutes they got a stunning second goal when Niran Butler let fly from 25 to 30 yards out; an unstoppable shot that arrowed directly into the top right-hand corner.

 

We could dream of a famous win but Hendon started to apply real pressure and pegged us back with a swift move in the box and a cool finish.  Onto penalties…

 

The first two round of penalties were scored, but Marco's effort was saved and Hendon scored to make it 2-3.  2-3 soon became 3-4 and Kane stepped up needing to score.  He opted a confident chip down the middle but completely undercooked it.  The 'keeper, who dived to his left, had time to get up and simply bat it away.  So under hit was the shot, I wonder if the 'keeper was even needed and the ball would have landed in front of the line and span backwards… we will never know.

 

No semi-final for us… but also, no long trip to Chatham… time to focus on Saturday and the much talked about trip to Farnham…

Hendon are coming!

League Cup action tonight and the arrival of old friends, Hendon. Down from their lofty Isthmian Premier League heights… although they are in the relegation zone.

Kick off at 7.45pm. See you there!

Tanners 3 - 0 Harrow Borough

For a game between two similarly placed teams, this was as one sided as it could get.  For the first half we controlled the game without much end result, but it all came together in the second.

 

With Lukas injured, it left Ruben as the main striker with Marco playing alongside him.  Ruben should have put us 1-0 when a cross found him on the edge of the six-yard box but he mistimed his strike while under pressure from a defender.  He later managed to get his head on a difficult cross but could only get the ball to land on the roof of the net.  We also hit the bar from a long range shot.

 

The second half we took our chances… not before Ruben missed a clear chance to open the scoring.  He received the ball about 10 yards out with only the 'keeper between him and the goal.  His touch was perfect to allow him to pick his spot; unfortunately, that spot was just wide of the right-hand post.

 

Then the goals came.  First from our captain, Kane, who received the ball on the edge of the box but surrounded by four players.  A step to the left and a timely drag-back sent all players in the wrong direction, which created enough space for a curling shot up and over the 'keeper.  The full majesty of this goal could not be seen from behind the goal, but the official footage is a joy to behold.

 

The second goal was fortunate as it was clinical.  Anuar Ceesay received the ball about 25 yards out and his attempt to control it saw the ball bound up and strike his arm which, unintentionally, created the perfect touch to now allow him to advance on goal.  With the referee's view obscured and the assistant only prepared to say "yes ref" and not make a decision of his own, Anuar advanced on goal and powered a low shot into the bottom right corner.

 

Then Ruben was set free and got his goal.  I'm hoping he saw the 'keeper stood with his legs slightly apart and his decision to fire it directly at him was a calculated move, but it worked and a satisfying 3-0 scoreline went up.

 

No major scares down the other end.  All in all, a good day.. except for all of the other sides above us winning so we are no better off.  Next up, the League Cup and the visit of Hendon on Tuesday…

Harrow Borough are coming!

A string of crucial league games is upon us, as we take on a number of sides between us and the playoff places, and we start with the visit of Harrow Borough.

Our guests sit two places above us, the points to the good but with an inferior goal difference.

Kick off at 3pm. See you there!

Rayners Lane 3 - 5 Tanners

Leatherhead played out a high-scoring and entertaining game today against a spirited side that played much of the game with ten men.

 

After an agonising car journey, I arrived at the new ground to see that it posed a number of problems.  There was very little in the way of cover and yet again you couldn't get behind one goal but the introduction of "loaded jerk chicken chips" more than made up for this.

 

Rayners Lane could have opened the scoring with a good chance just as I put my order in for the Caribbean-based dish, but the striker mistimed his shot.  Some five minutes later, Lukas was put clear through on goal and he slid the ball past the 'keeper.  I missed this as I anxiously looked inside the tea-bar's hatch, while looking for signs of my food.

 

Then the ref stepped in to change the game.  Rayners Lane were awarded a free kick in their own half, and with Leatherhead pressing it was difficult to find a free man.  Their No 4 stood over the ball, hesitated a bit, faked a pass and then attempt to play the ball just as the referee blew his whistle and issued a card for time wasting.  Moments later, our defender was fouled while clearing a ball.  The referee blew his whistle just as the long ball fell to their No 4 and he instinctively cleared the ball, although slicing it into touch.  The referee thought this was petulant and issued a second yellow and then a red.  The harshest application I have seen of these laws not once but twice in just a few minutes.

 

With only ten men, Rayners Lane were ripe for the picking, right?  On the stroke of halftime, a ball found a player unmarked at the back post and he fired it into the goal from close range.  1-1.

 

In the second half, Leatherhead looked in rampant mood.  On just 51 minutes Anuar Ceesay, who had been outstanding in the first half, was slotted though and made it 2-1.  Just six minutes later, Rhys beat the offside trap (just) and made it 3-1.  Then on 65 minutes, Ruben was brought down in the box for Fitzgerald to fire home the penalty.  4-1.

 

At this point I turned to the people near me and confidently said "there is no way we can muck this up from here".  Just then the sky was filled with a flurry of colour as a pandemonium of parrakeets filled the skies and a chaos of Leatherhead played out in the pitch.  Twice the 10 men of Rayners Lane scored in the last few minutes from close range Luckily, Ty Butler added a fifth goal to our tally, making my earlier confidence feel slightly more justified.

 

An eventful day, but now we get ready to host Harrow (pitch permitting) on Tuesday…

Rayners Lane 2 - 5 Tanners

Leatherhead played out a high-scoring and entertaining game today against a spirited side that played much of the game with ten men.

 

After an agonising car journey, I arrived at the new ground to see that it posed a number of problems.  There was very little in the way of cover and yet again you couldn't get behind one goal but the introduction of "loaded jerk chicken chips" more than made up for this.

 

Rayners Lane could have opened the scoring with a good chance just as I put my order in for the Caribbean-based dish, but the striker mistimed his shot.  Some five minutes later, Lukas was put clear through on goal and he slid the ball past the 'keeper.  I missed this as I anxiously looked inside the tea-bar's hatch, while looking for signs of my food.

 

Then the ref stepped in to change the game.  Rayners Lane were awarded a free kick in their own half, and with Leatherhead pressing it was difficult to find a free man.  Their No 4 stood over the ball, hesitated a bit, faked a pass and then attempt to play the ball just as the referee blew his whistle and issued a card for time wasting.  Moments later, our defender was fouled while clearing a ball.  The referee blew his whistle just as the long ball fell to their No 4 and he instinctively cleared the ball, although slicing it into touch.  The referee thought this was petulant and issued a second yellow and then a red.  The harshest application I have seen of these laws not once but twice in just a few minutes.

 

With only ten men, Rayners Lane were ripe for the picking, right?  On the stroke of halftime, a ball found a player unmarked at the back post and he fired it into the goal from close range.  1-1.

 

In the second half, Leatherhead looked in rampant mood.  On just 51 minutes Anuar Ceesay, who had been outstanding in the first half, was slotted though and made it 2-1.  Just six minutes later, Rhys beat the offside trap (just) and made it 3-1.  Then on 65 minutes, Ruben was brought down in the box for Fitzgerald to fire home the penalty.  4-1.

 

At this point I turned to the people near me and confidently said "there is no way we can muck this up from here".  Just then the sky was filled with a flurry of colour as a pandemonium of parrakeets filled the skies and a chaos of Leatherhead played out in the pitch.  Twice the 10 men of Rayners Lane scored in the last few minutes from close range Luckily, Ty Butler added a fifth goal to our tally, making my earlier confidence feel slightly more justified.

 

An eventful day, but now we get ready to host Harrow (pitch permitting) on Tuesday…

Travelling Tanners

For the second weekend running the NEW GROUND KLAXON sounds as we travel to Rayners Lane.

The last two results have been difficult to watch and take; while we also lose Tyler to RVP. Let's hope the new signing slots in well.

Kick off at 3pm. See you there!

Tanners 1 - 2 Westfield

The Westfield curse hits again, as we lose and cement ourselves in a midtable position.

 

This was not a pretty game to watch.  Westfield came with a well-executed game plan and managed to slow the game down when needed; twice a substitution was called without the player coming on being ready.

 

The first half started off slow but for the last ten minutes we were very much on top.  If Leatherhead's strikers rocked up at a coconut shy, they would clear up as three good chances were shot straight at the 'keeper.  Then we got our goal.  For the second game, Ruben turned provider by chasing a ball and feeding in Lukas who found the back of the net.  For the second time, Ruben was withdrawn in the second half to "boost midfield" only for us to concede.

 

A stale second half (we googled a list of UK cities to see which ones we had visited during the "action") came to life in the last ten minutes when Westfield got their equaliser and then smelled blood.  The first goal was a close range shot from a low cross and the second a powerful strike from a breakaway move down their left.

 

A disappointing loss could have become a disappointing draw when we thought we had a good shout for a penalty.  Marco controlled a lofted ball into the area and was clear on goal with only the 'keeper to beat.  The defender, closely behind, fell and took Marco down without playing the ball but the referee waved it away.  Referees don't give those in the opening or closing two minutes being the unwritten law of the game.

 

So onto Saturday when the NEW GROUND KLAXON sounds again for the trip to Rayners Lane…

Tanners 1 - 2 Westfield

The Westfield curse hits again, as we lose and cement ourselves in a midtable position.

 

This was not a pretty game to watch.  Westfield came with a well-executed game plan and managed to slow the game down when needed; twice a substitution was called without the player coming on being ready.

 

The first half started off slow but for the last ten minutes we were very much on top.  If Leatherhead's strikers rocked up at a coconut shy, they would clear up as three good chances were shot straight at the 'keeper.  Then we got our goal.  For the second game, Ruben turned provider by chasing a ball and feeding in Lukas who found the back of the net.  For the second time, Ruben was withdrawn in the second half to "boost midfield" only for us to concede.

 

A stale second half (we googled a list of UK cities to see which ones we had visited during the "action") came to life in the last ten minutes when Westfield got their equaliser and then smelled blood.  The first goal was a close range shot from a low cross and the second a powerful strike from a breakaway move down their left.

 

A disappointing loss could have become a disappointing draw when we thought we had a good shout for a penalty.  Marco controlled a lofted ball into the area and was clear on goal with only the 'keeper to beat.  The defender, closely behind, fell and took Marco down without playing the ball but the referee waved it away.  Referees don't give those in the opening or closing two minutes being the unwritten law of the game.

 

So onto Saturday when the NEW GROUND KLAXON sounds again for the trip to Rayners Lane…