Tanners 0 - 0 Whites
(Retford 2 -0 Shirebrook)

It is a sign of the times when a club like Dover can come to the Grove and we are disappointed with a draw. There aren't many teams that could expect more but we ran them close last night.

Holmes came the closest, seeing his shot hit the bar and rebound agonisingly across the face of the goal. Something similar happened at Retford but the rebound fell straight into the arms of the 'keeper. He didn't even flinch... anyway...

The unbeaten run continues and hopes of revenge will be on the top of all Travelling Tanners' agenda when we face a side that tore us apart on their timely visit to the Grove.

TANNERS 0-0 DOVER ATHLETIC

Not many nil-all draws in this league, and they're usually bore-draws to boot.

Not this one though, Tanners fans witnessed an excellent display from their team, focussed, high paced and confident. Built on solid defence with Lavs, Lynvall and especially Harps outstanding in the air. Whites fans will be disappointed that their third-placed team never really got going, leaving it until the second half to show glimpses - only glimpses mind - of the form they say their team is capable of.

So both sides will be pleased not to lose, but for the Tanners it will be tinged with the thought that having outplayed/met Dover on a bad night (depending on whether you are from Surrey or Kent) they could and should have emerged with all three points.

Nonetheless it augurs well for the future, starting at in-form Maidstone on Saturday.

Full match report by Steve Dennis on the official website at:

http://www.leatherheadfc-online.co.uk/26008.html

See you Saturday!

Popeye

Dover Are Coming

Its going to be like Big Brother tonight... our every move will be filmed from all (of one) angles and submitted to the FA for review so we had best be on our best behaviour.

This is going to be a huge night of football. One of the classic Tuesdays at the Grove when two in form sides meet and they should bring a few fans with them too. Meanwhile I will be watching Retford v Shirebrook... I couldn't make it up!

Kick off at 7.45pm!

The DVD Is Coming

I have the main batch of material here with me, I just need to add a few extras and we are off. I plan to do this over the next week. Just so that I can get as much of the day as possible it is my last plea to get any photos of your trip to me so I can add them.

I plan to sell them as a potential double pack of the DVD plus a CD of all the pictures and some scanned items (news papers etc). I haven't worked out the price yet as I may need to buy an additional piece of software but we are looking at around £5-£6 for the DVD and an extra £1 for the CD.

Any pictures to mattleross@hotmail.com ...

Tanners 2 - 0 Hillians

It wasn't the three goal margin revenge I had hoped for but certainly all the team put in a ten out of ten performance against a physical side.

Leatherhead got their break through in contraversial circumstances. I fired in shot hit the arm of a defender. I've seen them not given but in fairness to the ref the arm was not by the defenders side... and he had turned his back on it like a girl.

Dave Stevens, who had nearly taken the 'keepers head off from a point blank drive, placed it in the opposite corner to where the 'keeper was diving. Shortly after he struck again with kick feet he turned onto a loose ball to fire in the other corner.

The visitors came out firing in the second half and will have Gibson to thank for two brave saves. After footballing tactics seem not to work a rather sinister array of fouls were soon on show climaxing in a nasty elbow that went unpunished by the referee.

With all the other teams above us failing to get maximum points it was a good days work and sets us up for the visit of Dover on Tuesday.

Burgess Hill Are Coming

4-1. 4 ruddy 1. It seems like a dim and distant memory but this side stuck four second half goals past us earlier in the season. I spoke to one of the players who told me it was down to their smaller pitch so they were able to keep a high tempo game and continuously apply pressure all over the field of play. Some may agree, some may scoff and some may nod pretending to understand how these things make a difference. As your basketball playing FD I will let you decide which of the three I did.

That said the conditions appear to be in our favour for this visit. Instead of playing by candle light we can bake them under the power of our floodlight. Instead of a bit of rain we can batter them with blizzards. Will they dare upset the Surrey based football gods again!?

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

Tanners 2 - 1 Chertsey
Bracing Carpenter

Leatherhead came through a bitterly cold night to win thanks to Dean Carpenter's brace tonight. His first came as he beat several players to have sight at goal and deftly slotted it past the 'keeper.

The seconds was an albeit tame shot that beat the 'keeper near post. In the middle of all that Chertsey briefly equalised.

Onwards we go in yet another cup...

Chertsey Are Coming

Its that time of year already. The Surrey Senior Cup comes to town in the shape of old league rivals Chertsey. They now ply their trade in the Combined Counties League, a league that provides us with much of the early round competition.

I can’t quite believe it is the Surrey Senior Cup though… I haven’t heard Crystal Palace mentioned once!

Kick-off at 7.45.. see you there!

Rams 1 - 3 Tanners

For the first time I can remember I drive past the twin towers of flat-packed furniture land feeling happy. Leatherhead overcame a tricky opening 30 minutes where Croydon looked the better side to totally outclass the hosts.

It didn't look to be our day when a clash of players saw Doherty being stretchered off. Lyndval was at hand to come on and give another fantastic display, playing himself back from injury.

The opening goal came from a mix up in their defense and Stuart Holmes found himself in the box with no one around him. To be honest the defensive midfielder would have preferred to have had someone to square it to but he took two strides towards the 'keeper before disguising his shot to the keeper's right.

MCS then started running the show. Tearing up the right wing and putting in top class crosses. Having two strikers up front there were people there to put them away. The first one came from Scott Bennetts... "Benno's...Benno's!" he cried and how right he was. 2-0!

The same move saw Stevo's blast over from close range, but he got his goal after beating the defender to make enough room in the box to power his shot past the diving 'keeper.

The Rams got one back with a spectacular free kick but it was only a consolation goal. A great days work but thoughts turn to Dockers who will be nursing a tender knee.

Travelling Tanners

Just when we are enjoying the calm after the storm (a storm that saw a neighbours shed roof plough through my garden) we find ourselves travelling into the bad lands of Croydon. I missed the first 20 minutes of the game last season because I only left a mere hour before kick-off. I wont be making that mistake again.

The Tanners will look to build on a promising performance against high flying Hastings that was only 60 seconds short of all three points. With key players coming back it will our best chance to get something out of a historically fruitless trip...

Kick-off at 3.20pm... see you there!

Directions
Mayfields is just off the A23, London to Brighton Road in Thornton Heath, Croydon. Turn into Silverleigh road, then branch left into Trafford Road (club sign now up). Mayfield Road is a continuation of Trafford. Ground is at the bottom via a lane on left.

The Head... from Leatherhead

One of the things I do to find material for this site is search around for Leatherhead FC references and THIS popped up.

They were by all accounts THE band of the town back in the days when reaching the first round was expected. Sadly the information site Wikipedia did not see their achievements as significant enough and deleted their entry for the site.

So if you want them on there get posting on blogs!

Tanners 1 - 1 Hastings

Leatherhead's climb up the table takes a stumble after a late equaliser shares the points. The home side battled hard against a sprited opposition as well as a heavy pitch and the referee who seem to find extra time on his watch.

Gavin Bolger got the all important first half goal which looked to have gained us all three points as we entered the fourth minute of stoppage time. the ref thought differently and awarded a penalty which was put away. Disappointment for a side that deserved all three.

Croydon Atheletic is the next port of call for this league campaign...

Guess Who's Coming...

After last weekends debacle with Whyteleafe crying off etc I am going to tentatively say Hastings are coming to the Grove tonight. Hastings are on a fine run of form, losing only to Maidstone in the last ten games so we should be ready for a tough encounter tonight.

The real draw will be the programme which is rumoured to include twelve week scan pictures!

Kick-off at 7.45!

Tanners 2 - 1 Fleet

Whyteleafe failed to turn up, but luckily Fleet were knocking about looking for a game so we offered to switch fixtures. Sinton though has his side playing like Tottenham. Organised, with little flair and soon as some pressure is applied they go running blaming it on a dodgy batch of lasagne.

The first half finished 0-0. A draw looked about right after they forced Borg into two good saves while we hit the bar from a Henders header and forced their keeper into a special save.

Their 'keeper was a mixed bag. At one point I thought he had it in for my car as his kicks sailed over the Tanners lounge but he pulled off some of the best saves I have seen.

Fleet were the first to date Lady Luck. A shot on the edge of the box was blocked and the rebound fell kindly for another attempt. The following shot then took a deflection to go past Borg.

We bounced back after Sargent was crudely brought down in the box. He powerfully put the penalty past the 'keeper. The key to this was Stevens standing up to come on. Dave Harlow sensing this was a crucial move tried it again and got the talisman ready. In doing so Lady Luck knee Fleet in the balls and jumped in Sargents lap as his corner was sliced home for an own goal.

Then Fleet dropped down a level, resorting to constant bickering and niggling tackles. One of Fleet's baldy twins then tried to break MCS' leg by swinging at the balls general direction twice in quick succession. Even the mild mannered FD got enraged by this.

A crucial three points and revenge from the disappointment of the opening day.

Whyteleafe are coming

Blimey. This game has snuck up on The Lip and just two hours before kick-off there is nothing posted! That said it has only been in the last 12 hours I have felt fairly certain that the game could be played.

Whyteleafe are having a bad season, even by their standards, but they they are a team that Leatherhead seem to slip up with. Hopefully the three away goals at both the K's and Leyton can be brought back to the Grove.

Face off at 3pm!

Leyton 2 - 3 Tanners

Are you watching Worthing? Leatherhead hang on to a well deserved win away in the barrel lands. MCS raced us to a 2-0 lead while Greenaway extended our lead early in the second half.

It looked like we could cruise for the rest of the game until Leyton were awared a rather soft penalty. Leyton's luck was in after we pulled off a save but the striker pounced on the rebound.

Their tails were up and soon added to their come back but it was not enough as Leatherhead saw out the last ten minutes in a period of play that seemed like three years!

Away to Dover is the reward...

Travelling Tanners

A lunchtime call today confirmed that providing that we are not subject to a heavy downpour tomorrows much awaited game against Leyton will go ahead.

This is of course the next round of the Westview Cup, after some legal wranglings we are there in our rightful place. Special safety glasses will be standard issue amongst the officials though.

It is a tough place to get to, some supporters are even undergoing a late fitness test before making the journey!

Directions

From M11 proceed along the A406 to the first exit (Waterworks Roundabout), take first exit into Woodford New Road A406 leading into Lea Bridge Road. Proceed along Lea Bridge Road through four main sets of traffic lights. And the ground is 250 yards on the left hand side, next to the Hare and Hounds pub.

From A12 to Gants Hill roundabout, take the third exit into Woodford Avenue A1400. Continue along to Charlie Brown's roundabout. Take second exit onto the A406 then follow the directions above from the Waterworks roundabout/Lea Bridge road.

Pub Guide

Still researching but I do plan to eat on the way so if you have any ideas let me know on the message board.

'Leafe re-arranged

Saturday's postponed league game away to Whyteleafe has been rearranged for Tuesday 13th February k.o. 7.45pm.

In From The Rain

Three games were able to get underway today, lucky blighters, and here are the scores.

Chatham Town 2-2 Corinthian-Casuals
Hastings United 1-0 Tooting & Mitcham United
Kingstonian 1-3 Croydon Athletic

K's continue their run of form!

Game Off!

This morning's constant drizzle has made Whyteleafe's delicate pitch unplayable so another Tuesday night fixture needs to be arranged. We are getting Gerald on calling off last weekends game too!

Details of the new date will be posted when we know.

Travelling Tanners

Tomorrow we, hopefully, travel to Whyteleaf. A side that are having a nightmare of a season but a side that we seem to struggle against especially when we make the trip to their place.

Their ground suffers more than most from adverse weather so it could be in doubt. Currently it is good to go but should there be any rain there will be a pitch inspection at 12 o'clock.

I will obviously post any news here as soon as I get it!

DVD Update

I have been collating all the material (not a lot of video, mainly pictures) for inclusion on the disc. I also have a VHS tape full of all of the build up footage such as Soccer AM which is being converted to a digital format as we speak.

I hope it will be ready in the next week or so. Let me know if you are interested in getting a copy so I can work out a suitable price...

New Poll

At last a new poll for you. The last one dated back to the Mangotsfield and no one paid attention to it anyway... perhaps I should take the hint.

Anyway, in response to suggestions on the messageboard of a retro kit this weeks poll looks at which style, if any, you would like to have.