Tanners 2 – 1 Chatham

I feared for this game on the drive in. The weather looked quite miserable and the local council tried to get the game played behind closed doors by shutting the road on my drive in.

The team selection was positive enough though with Tommy Hutchings being allowed his first start with Billy Marshall and Dave Steven also starring in the attack. Leatherhead also started brightly creating all of the opening chances until after about 20 minutes where the ball just seemed to stick to Chatham’s striker.

Hapless tackle after meaningless hoof could not dispossess the Chatham man and after beating his forth player beat the keeper for 10 yards. We’ve been here before…

Leatherhead were not to be outdone at home to this side, with players (especially their no 9) more content with trying to get our players booked by feigning injuries than playing football.

The first goal came from either McNamara or Dave Stevens. It was the former’s shot that bounced down off the cross bar and Dave Stevens who tapped it in. The linesman flag was all over the shop so I don’t know whether he gave it for the first crossing the line, for Dave Stevens after initially flagging for offside. Who cares, they all count.

Then the moment any young player would hope for, their first goal. Tommy got the ball on the left and shimmied into the box letting rip with the outside of his left boot. The diving ‘keeper was powerless to stop it beating him at the far post.

The second half was played in a good competitive spirit but no change to the score. A win at last!

Chatham Are Coming

In the early stages of the new regime it was an away point at Chatham that we thought we had turned a corner. Ian went as far as to say in the next programme that the defence was sorted and now it was time to score some goals. Since then we have shipped 30 and it remains the hot topic on the messageboard but we have had some good football along the way.

Chatham sit below us in the league so a win tomorrow may but that dreaded “R” word to bed for the season.

Kick off at 3pm… see you there!

Chipstead 2 – 1 Tanners

Leatherhead lost a game they really should have won. Comfortably. The Tanners were playing some nice stuff, with Gates turning in a great passing display releasing our wide players to cause havoc down the flanks.

It was from the flanks we got our first goal. Billy Marshall crossed the ball in for the ‘keeper to flab and a tap in for Bernard. I say goal, the lino saw it to be offside but seeing as the ball went across parallel to the goal line and Bernard ran on to it I think it was harshly ruled out.

When the goal did come it was Billy Marshall again causing them problems. The ball had just been punched out by a defender when out it went wide. Billy saw the keeper hugging the far post for safety and his shot directed to the near stick beat him easily.

The ref needed to be escorted off by the Chipstead manager so they could discuss how the officiating really should be done.

Gibbs found out to his dismay that this team talk had resulted in him be targeted as the bad guy as he could do no right. Already booked for daring to challenge the ‘keeper for the ball he was pushed, pulled and kicked out of the match.

Billy Marshall could have put the game beyond the home side with two chances when he was one on one but the ‘keeper made amends for his earlier blunders. Their no 4 who had pretty much punched him for a mess up was slow to congratulate him.

With Leatherhead failing to take their chances they were soon punished with two goals coming in the last 15 minutes. Very disappointing considering how we had played against a team happy to celebrate their midtable obscurity.

Travelling Tanners

Tomorrow Leatherhead will make their way over to Chipstead. The only connection to this ground I can remember is that I seem to remember a youth team playing a final there some 6 years ago…

Either way Leatherhead will travel to Chipstead with one thing in mind and that is avenge one nil defeat of November. We can score four goals… can we keep them down to just three..?

I did find this on YouTube though… from the description I thought it would be funnier. Sorry.

Directions

They have all kinds of advice on how to get there, train stations and taxi ranks on their site…

Marathon Man

Ex-Tanner, Craig Duffell, will be running in this years London Marathon in the memory of our old friend Stewart Vaughan who sadly passed away last year.

The chosen charity is Marie Curie Cancer Care and if you would like to sponsor him you can via this link.

Burgess Hill 4 - 4 Tanners

Well. A speculative call to Dickie 15 minutes into the second half told me it was 2-1 to the Tanners. They had taken the lead but Stevo was in a scoring mood, receiving crosses from Gibbs and Bernard. The latter being a cheeky back heel which prompted calls for those in attendance to worship his boots. If he can bang in goals like this then there wont be many that will refuse to worship false deities.

Then Dickie told me that Burgess Hill looked a better side than most of the teams above them but despite that we were getting behind them. Furthermore he said it looked like there would be more goals in it, from then on in it text meltdown for our match reporter.

They came back and then a dodgy Marshall goal and another from Stevo made it 4-2. It was in the bag! Burgess Hill had other ideas and forced their way back to 4-4 in a painful reminder of another game we had there where we missed a penalty and conceded a late flurry of goals to lose.

Chipstead away awaits the travelling Tanners in a hope to repeat the display at one end but tightening up at the other.

Travelling Tanners

Hold the phone, this game has crept up on me like my turning off the M3 in the fog...

Anyway. Tonight we make the long midweek journey down to Burgess Hill who still have their curfew imposed so the kick-off will be at 7.30. They site just five points above us so could be a crucial midtable six pointer. Loads to play for!

Directions (from their site)

By Car: Leave the A23 at the junction of A2300 north of Hickstead show ground. Follow the signs to Burgess Hill/Wivelsfield Station Over 1st roundabout, Left at second (past Triangle Leisure centre). Left at next roundabout then Right at the next. Drive up the Hill for 300 yards then take the first left into Maple Drive. the home of BHTFC is about 3/4 mile down this road on the Left hand side look for the parking signs and the floodlights.

By Train: The nearest Mainline station is Wivelsfield Station which is located on the Main Victoria to Brighton line and also serves trains from the Lewes line. When you come out of Wivelsfield Station Turn Left and follow Leylands Road for 400 yards The first road on the Right hand side is Leylands Park and the Ground is Located 300 yards into this Estate. Follow the Floodlights.

YMCA 0 – 2 Tanners

The Travelling Tanners, depleted in numbers, put a real dent into the home sides chances of avoiding the drop.

It wasn’t a classic encounter with the best of the action coming in the first half. Holmes rode a tackle and was through on goal, all he had to do was slide it past the ‘keeper but you never guess what he did next? Slot it past the ‘keeper? Good guess, yes but it was cancelled out by the lino who had seen an earlier infringement.

Gibbs did grab us the lead after Bernard had made some space down the left and the ball was not dealt with properly.

The second half was not much to watch. I took up stamp collecting to help pass the time. That was until white socked Ellis (not the new programme editor but the player that has lurked in the background for some time) heard Billy Marshall’s cry for the ball at the back post. So the ball was lofted and the ‘keepers best grand jeté was not quite enough. There was still work to be done as the dropped ball left Billy at a tight angle but he still had the presence of mind to blast it into the roof of the net.

On to Burgess Hill!

Travelling Tanners

So. After a few weeks of squad stability we say goodbye to three players. Two were part of Harlow’s Golden Generation while Carlo survived just a few months. The right back found himself on the bench but Shannon and Bennetts appeared to be in the starting eleven so tomorrow will be interesting.

Or hosts though are not quite the side they were last year. It could be said they punched above their weight in the second half of the season having a very respectable finish but times are harder this time round. Dare we dream of a double?

Directions (from their site)

Gorings Mead is found on the Brighton Road, heading out of town under the railway bridge, pass the Queen's Head pub on your right and then after about 150 metres look for the 'YMCA' sign directing you to turn right into Gorings Mead.

The ground is right at the end of the road.

Parking is very limited so be prepared to walk to the ground from one of the local car parks.

Tanners 0 – 1 Worthing (Football nil)

The spectators endured one of the worst games of the season today as Worthing got their nose in front in the second half. Perhaps the game was so lack lustre as they half expected the Worthing players to be ordered off the field for the third game in a row.

The thoughts on the game though are not just Bloorian sour grapes. Had Adam French blocked the point blank tap in and Billy Marshall’s clever shot gone in off the post I would still be of the same opinion.

Neither side had the ability to pick out a pass. Some players were more culpable than others but in truth the contest was crying out for someone to grab hold of it.

The new player, Graham, stuttered into his Tanners start seemingly pulling up injured and played no part in the second half. He made way for Matt Jones. Only when Bernard and Marshall were introduced did the ball go in any meaningful direction for the Tanners.

All in all I can’t decide what was more embarrassing, the standard of football or the Worthing 14 who tried to con the ref in sending Matt Jones clutching his face after a tap on the face.

When the final whistle blew the Worthing players roared like lions at confirming their midtable obscurity. There was even an extra hearty roar from the 14, mummies brave little tiger, who played on during what must have been excruciating agony.

A week off now until Horsham YMCA away…

Worthing Are Coming

Worthing will snake their way up the A24 today to take on a side that dare to dream that they finally have the stability and “mix” to start getting a good string of results. In fact if you look at the league we have two wins and a draw to our name for the last three results with a couple of second half spirited comebacks in there.

If nothing more it will be a chance for us to get a rare double with only Met Police holding that honour so far. Kick off at 3pm. See you there!