Walton Casuals 0 - 3 Tanners

Two first half goals from set pieces were enough to set the tone for this end of season encounter. First Henders pounced from a corner from the right to open the scotong. Prior to the second, the ex-tight wearing Walton captain decided to engage in coversations regarding his nickname. Perhaps he should worry about his marking as Harper lept like a salmon from a free kick from the left.

The second half opened with a stunning goal as Waugh took a speculative swing at a ball deep in midfield only to see it sail past the keeper. At 3-0 it was time to turn our attention to the party in the evening... more to come on that later!

Travelling Tanners

So here it is. The last Travelling Tanners of the season and the last game of the season to boot. The last time the two sides met Leatherhead ran out the winners against a side that has the ability to beat some big sides yet throw it away in the next game.

This is also Percy Day so rustle up your old football shirts. I just hope it is a warm day so we are spared the Captain in tights again!

Directions and Map

Next to the old Elmbridge Leisure Centre, left off Terrace Road at first roundabout out of Walton centre.

Pub Guide

There is a great little pub just 100m down from the ground called The Weir. It is a popular haunt, especially over a Bank Holiday, so if you plan to go there get there early. I'll be there from around 12.30ish.

Tanners 3 - 0 Cray

Leatherhead were firing again with three first half goals to ease past Cray Wanderers. It all started with an early Harper goal who ran across the defender and headed at the near post. Julian Thompson then started running the show with two goals, the first just crawled after a long ball didn't quite reach the 'keeper and he nudged it past him.

Cray were clearly not at the races today's as their attacking football deserted them and this soon boiled over on the pitch and a player was given two yellows for bad mouthing the ref.

The second half nearly saw Cray escape a 3-0 beating in two meetings as the ref pulled up injured and the site of Chris Kelly in a officials uniform was not acceptable to the visiting officials. For a moment it looked like sulky Cray were going to get away with it but the smug waving 15 got a nasty shock when his antics back fired and he had to reappear. He was lucky not to be sent off as an elbow on Beer was not spotted. He then went on to bite, scratch, kick and pinch as the big ponce failed to make any impression on the game.

So the game cruised to an end and there was time for the Tanners to applaud the crowd and for Tommy Moorhouse to revel in his success at the Crossbar Challenge that took place while Cray worked out how to spoil the day with the ref. Doherty nearly won the Hit The Small Child challenge but thankfully the ball drifted just wide of danger.

Cray Are Coming

Many of us will remember the reverse fixture for the throwing away of a three goal lead... few us also remember it for the death of the "EASY" chant as it was clearly the chanters fault...

Anywho, today Cray come back a promise to give us a four goal start to make it even more interesting this year. Kick off at 3pm. See you there!

And The Winner Is...

Percy Day! Yes, as I try and make something of a tradition of applying fancy dress to the last away game of the season (us Saints fans have done it for years) I am pleased to announce the easiest option of wearing a shirt of any other team is the winner!

I have mine lined up already, hope you all take part too.

As for this weeks poll, we get stiff necks as we take a look up the table...

Banstead 1 - 2 Tanners

This is an unconfirmed result but the last time I heard (which was quite late on) we were 2-0 up thanks to a Waugh (Good God Y'all!) double.

Three points at last to reward all of the hard work of the last few games. Sets it up for the midtable clash against Cray on Saturday.

Travelling Tanners

Mixed emotions tomorrow as this could be our last trip to the tundra if rumours are to be believed. All the talk is of the club folding and while no one will miss the hike up to the highest ground in Europe, nobody likes to see a fellow Ryman side go down.

After Saturday where we fought so hard but ended up with nothing, the same performance here should be enough for all three points...

Directions

Leave the M25 at Junction 8, and head North towards London. After the 3rd roundabout, turn left at the next set of traffic lights into Reigate Road, there is a petrol station at this junction.
Continue past Asda supermarket and at the next set of lights, turn left into Great Tattenhams. Take the 3rd left into Merland Rise and you will find Banstead Athletic FC approx 500m up on your left.
A large sign is placed outside the shared entrance to Banstead Sports Centre.

Tanners 1 - 2 Rams

Leatherhead took the game to Ramsgate and looked to get their reward until the game was turned in the second half with how the players reacted to the officials.

The Tanners started to show the passing game that we enjoyed the first half of the season and it was only 5 minutes when Waugh fed Sargent down the left who beat the 'keeper near post from a tight angle. Ramsgate had no reply other than one close range effort that was blasted across the face of the goal.

The second half commenced with Leatherhead still in confident mood. Then a through ball from Ramsgate to a player that appeared offside and the players stopped and turned to the assistant but no flag was coming and the player ran on unchallenged and slotted it past Tommy.

Shortly after followed ten minutes of madness. Dave Stevens chased down a long ball to try and win a throw in and when the players came together their number 5 went down clutching his jaw. The assistant right in front saw nothing wrong. No action was taken against Stevens but neither on the cheating defender. Then a series of rash tackles rained in, each only punished with yellows, the one on Scott Bennetts being the worst.

Then Sargent kicked the ball away after a decision went against him and he saw his second yellow. I think it was probably the right decision but if you are going to punish petulance like that then where was the yellow for the striker playing on after the whistle went for offside?

Despite having some good chances, one of which needed a special save from the visiting 'keeper, the pressure told and Ramsgate got the winner that promotes them. While they celebrated, our players walked off knowing that they had given it a good go.

Ramsgate Are Coming

The table toppers are coming to the Grove tomorrow in the first of two Easter fixtures. While some feel we have played a part in Dover's season, Horsham will be hoping we can do the same as they lie on top on goal difference albeit with a game in hand.

Leatherhead have always be known to raise their game for these occasions so it could be an interesting encounter.

Kick off at 3pm... see you there!

Tanners 0 - 0 Dover

Leatherhead get their third draw in a row but a draw that was well battled for. Leatherhead had some good spells but on the whole Dover controlled much of the game but lacked any real threat.

The best chance probably fell to Scott whose reflex shot was too near the 'keeper but well kept out. Dover found the net in the first half but it was deemed offside.

Then, as in the first game, the officials took centre stage. Moorhouse crashed in the the fouled player marched straight over and kneed him in the face. The ref decided that he needed advice from both assistants despite only being two meters away and sent off the Whites centreback and dished out a yellow to both the Tommy's.

Leatherhead looked more lively against ten but there was excitement at both ends, all to no avail though and the ref blew for what turned out to be the final whistle. Then it was back to the bar for some moler sweet talk...

Dover Are Coming

Tonight, in a rearranged fixture, in form Dover come to the Grove in a bid to snatch a play-off place. The game at their place will be remembered for its contraversy as nearly everyone who went (including their club secretary) thought the ball had crossed the line. Everyone except the linesman sadly.

Since then Dover has pushed on from what looked like a outside chance to a very real challenge on the play-offs. So the Tanners will have to play like they did in the opening half at their place to avoid the treatment Tooting got on Saturday!

Kick-off at 7.45... see you there!

Another Good Friday

For the past two Easters a few Tanners have hit the road on Good Friday to take in three games in a day as the Sussex League holds their finals. The games and venues this year are...

Whitehawk v Shoreham at THREE BRIDGES F.C kicking off at 11.00 a.m.
Rustington v Lingfield HORSHAM YMCA at 3pm.
It will all will end at WICK F.C., where the Division 2 League Cup Final will see Sidlesham v Mile Oak. Kick-off will be 7.30 p.m.

Happy hunting.

'Leafe 1 - 1 Tanners

On the day of the Grand National it was sad to see more than the odd hoof on the pitch from Leatherhead, certainly in the first half. Ironically it was a long ball that were Leatherhead's undoing as a drifted diagonal ball was not dealt with and a first strike beat Tommy.

The second half saw Leatherhead start to stroke the ball around more and even on a dusty pitch signs were there that a breakthrough could come. It did through Ronnie's cross to the far post where Captain Stevens was given far too much space and his header gave the 'keeper no chance.

Dave nearly struck in the final few minutes as a long ball found him some space and his lobbed effort sailed over the 'keeper but found the bar and bounced back. Waugh was on hand to head it back at goal but his effort drifted wide.

Travelling Tanners

This represented one of the worst days of my life in the corresponding fixture last season. The wife was cross with me for even going, the ref sees a foul that looked clearly in the box only to give it on the edge rather than a penalty, we lose and I get to my car to hear Southampton throw away a two goal lead in the last two minutes I was listening... I want revenge!

Directions

I know this is Dave Fuzzey's first trip to this ground and my directions have let him down before so the pressure is on. So...

This ground is easiest to get to if you're coming from the M25.

Just leave at the motorway at junction 6 up the A22, bypassing Caterham to a large roundabout called Wapses Lodge.

Go straight across (that the third exit) and continue down the sort of dual carriageway until the road narrows, the outside lane is closed to traffic after a few yards - so get over to the left if you aren't there already!

Where it narrows you want to turn off to the left by Whyteleafe South BR station and immediately go over the level crossing.

Once across, you climb up a narrow road (Salmons Lane) through the trees until it forks where you want to turn right into Church Road. The road drops gently back down and the ground appears on your right after a couple of hundred yards.

Poll Result

Well it was certainly a goal we should have had at Dover with only one person voting for nothing at all and that was probably cast from Kent (Tootman?). As for the penalty 17 voted for both to be given with 8 saying just a goal.

This weeks poll looks at the serious matter of the last away game of the season... the suggested themes for the fancy dress are...

Jim Day - flat cap
Percy Day - shirt from any other football team... I for one have seen Leatherhead play in black and white stripes so isn't it time we play hommage to our long serving kit man?

Tanners 1 - 1 Lymington & New Milton

Leatherhead fail to build on the 2-0 win at the weekend with a draw against similar placed opposition. All seemed to be going to plan when Leatherhead won a penalty just before half time which Dave Stevens calmly put away.

Midway through the second half Leatherhead conceded what turned out to be the equaliser and the visitors held on for the point.

Leatherhead Diamond Jubilee
Find the Missing Tanners

Ryman League Division 1 club, Leatherhead are celebrating their Diamond Jubilee this year with a gala dinner on the last night of the season – 29th April. The highlight of the event will be a grand reunion of all of those players involved in what was the club’s golden period in the 1970s when they achieved the heady status of FA Cup Giant Killers with wins over Colchester United and Brighton and Hove Albion before going out in the 4th Round – beaten narrowly by the then First Division Club Leicester City. They followed this feat up three years later – in 1978 – with a Wembley appearance in the FA Trophy final against Altrincham. They lost this match too but the club had enjoyed its most successful period ever.

The FA Cup run of 1975 also brought to the British footballing public’s attention, one Chris Kelly – christened the Leatherhead Lip – due to his outspoken interviewing style. Kelly, now marketing manager at the club’s Fetcham Grove ground, scored in the classic Cup tie against the Foxes and could have won the game when his effort was kicked off the line.

Chris Kelly said, “The response from our ex players has been phenomenal. Nearly all of them will be attending the dinner and it should be a great night for swapping stories and meeting old friends. Whilst the dinner is a sell out with 200 tickets already sold, there are just 2 players that we haven’t been able to contact. We would dearly love to find them so that they can be part of this important night in the club’s history and we are asking for the your readers’ help in trying to locate them.”

The 2 players in question are Willie Smith, who captained the FA Cup giant killing side in 1975 and left back, Ray Eaton who played in the FA Trophy final against Altrincham.
If any reader knows where either of theses ex-Tanners can be contacted, they should call the Lip himself – Chris Kelly on 01372 360151 (Leatherhead club number).

Tanners 2 - 0 Hillians

Leatherhead ended their terrible run by putting two quick goals past Burgess Hill in the first half. The game looked a little flat for the first 30 minutes until Dave Stevens sprang into life. First he chased a ball, back heeled it to Sargent and he swung in cross beat MCS at near post only to squirm across goal where Beno was waiting.

Moments later Dave Stevens wriggled free and and made no mistake when 1 on 1 with the keeper. With the ball hitting the back of the net both times the lino could not fail to miss the goal!

Many thought more goals were to come, but today it was about keeping the lead and the came cruised to an end. With a couple of shock results, can we dream?

Burgess Hill Are Coming

For a while it looked like the result at their place would shape our destiny as this was one of the first slip ups of the season. 2-0 up, against 10 men and a penalty in the last 10 minutes was surely enough but Burgess Hill came back in the dying seconds.

Burgess Hill pretty much got themselves clear of relegation back in the first week March after a spell of 5 games unbeaten but since then they have lost their next 5.

More developments regarding today's game can be found on the Official Site...

Kick-off at 3pm, see you there!