Badshot Lea are coming

Bom dia! Greetings from Brazil, where I am finally reunited with my bags after 24 hours.

After a dramatic penalty shootout win, in the week, we get back the the business of the league with the visit of bottom-of-the-table Badshot Lea.

Kick off at 3pm. Boa sorte fellas!

Sutton Common Rovers 1 - 0 Tanners

I could not make the trip to Carshalton due to an unfortunate incident.  In the morning I discovered a deer in my garden that had been struck by a car and looked to be in distress.  So I called the RSPCA and waited until about 2.30, where they arrived and said there was nothing they could do and the poor thing had to be put out of its misery.  Then I sat down to Simon's commentary and reflected on the metaphor for our season as the first goal went in.

 

We looked bright for the first two minutes (90 seconds longer than Southampton managed last night) when Lukas rounded the 'keeper but hit the post.  Sutton Common Rovers then took the lead halfway through the opening 45, with a goal from Luke Ige after a defensive lapse allowed him to follow up on his initial blocked shot.

 

Leatherhead probably edged the second half, spurning two good chances, but we were not clinical enough to grab an equaliser and so another disappointing defeat is chalked up.

 

Leatherhead return to the scene of the crime tonight, when we face Carshalton in the Velocity Cup.  Kick off at 7.45pm.  Good luck fellas!

Travelling Tanners

Leatherhead make the first of two trips to Carshalton, to face Sutton Common Rovers in the league.

Our hosts sit just above the relegation zone, while we could go into the top half win a win.

Kick off at 3pm. Good luck fellas…

Game off

No game today, as Storm Darragh makes its presence known.

Here are some FA Vase fixtures to keep you busy…

Tanners 2 - 1 South Park

The four to five minutes in the second half were worth the entrance fee alone… as for the first 60 minutes, two sides slogged it out on a heavy pitch so it was understandably slow going.  Then it all happened.

 

We didn't get a spectacular volley from range, but we did get a comically spectacular cock up in defence.  A long ball was poorly shepherded back to the 'keeper who did not know whether to pick it up or not which allowed Williamson to steal the ball.  We all laughed at the time, but credit should go to our striker for putting so much pressure on the first place and having the presence of mind to push the ball past the 'keeper and then run on and put it in the net.

 

Straight from the retake, South Park won a corner and that old warhorse Danny Brachen sensed something was going to happen.  He stood on the halfway line as the ball was flicked on and headed in at the far post.  1-1.

 

Our despair did not last long.  Just a couple of minutes later, a freekick was played into the box where Pearce headed the ball into a defender to create a one-two and then smash it home.  What is Alex Pearce's kit made of?  Man of the Match material, and he picked up the honours this game.

 

Onto Saturday, when we welcome Horndean…

South Park are coming!

The pitch should be heavy, but fine as we welcome South Park back to the Grove after our recent cup encounter.

Our visitors sit just behind us in the league and we can climb to the dizzy heights of 13th should we win tonight.

Kick off at 7.45pm. See you there!

Met Police 0 - 2 Tanners

The second half of this game was worth the entrance fee alone, which was lucky for the supporters who hadn't received the update that it was a 2pm kick-off.  I watched a couple wonder in – I envied them – with confused faces as they could not believe their fellow supporters could look so depressed even before kick-off.  In truth, we had suffered a very hard-to-watch half where we hit the bar but neither side created much.

In the second half, Leatherhead started to show their superiority.  We were dominant down our right wing and it was from this threat we got our opening goal.  A jinking run and a looping shot could only be parried into the path of Ruben, who stooped down to head it home.  A cross from the right should have provided the second goal but Lukas could only head it straight at the 'keeper from a couple of yards out.

Then we made it safe in spectacular fashion.  After a brief spell of header-tennis on the halfway line, the ball fell to Massango about 40 yards out.  Leatherhead's Ronaldinho saw the 'keeper off of his line and volleyed the ball high into the air, towards goal.  The 'keeper tried to get back but he was beaten and the ball went in, after bouncing just short of the line. 

As the sun went down over a floodlightless ground, I didn't know if we were waiting for the referee's whistle or for someone's mum to tell us we couldn't play any more and come in for tea… but the whistle sounded and signalled a win – at last! – and on to Tuesday where we hope to welcome South Park, although the rain may have other ideas…