Tanners 0 - 1 Staines Town

A second messiah arrived at Fetcham Grove on Wednesday night but it was not enough to avoid a home defeat to a very well organised Staines Town.

Tom Bradbrook may have lost his clippers but hopefully not his cutting edge as his hard man crew cut has been replaced by barely recognisable foppish hair. I believe this was his first game of the season after un-retiring and so it will take him a few games to regain his sharpness.

This game also proved a trial for Jimmy as Staines had no problem evicting most of our balls into the box. In the first half Bradders got onto the end of a couple of crosses but his powerful headers went wide and Sole sent a free kick just wide. It was a competitive first half and ended with honours fairly even.

Straight after the restart a Staines player ran through our defence and fired into the corner. We remained lively but created few clear cut chances and Staines fairly comfortably saw out the 2nd half for a 1-0 win.

It's on to Sudbury on Saturday and the scene of the famous Dave Stevens hand ball that lead to an appearance in the FA Cup 1st round proper. The residents along the A12 are hoping that their gardens won't be watered this time.

Staines Town are coming

For Jimmy to be taken seriously for the England job he will have to do at least two things. Firstly, avoid any meetings with any Far / Middle East and businessmen; and then get his first win tonight.

How old friends Staines Town come tonight and we can hope for more of the same attacking football showed in the first half and perhaps less for fading in the second.

Kickoff at 7:45. Good luck, from Romania.

Tanners 1 - 1 Needham Market

It was another case of what could have been at The Grove as we let a slender lead slip again.  Not quite in the same agonising fashion as midweek but it must still be disappointing to the new manager.

The first half went rather well for Leatherhead.  The new players have certainly made a difference and for the first time the season we looked confident with players demanding the ball, notably Rash Kamara who was beating players throughout the game.

I also wonder if Evander Lopes was the U21 player Jimmy “liked the look of” as his introduction to the first team was also a highlight,  It was from his drive into the box that we won the penalty; coolly dispatched but Sole.

The first half ended with Leatherhead fans rightly optimistic.  We were playing good football from the back and perhaps we could hope for more goals in the second half…

These goals didn’t come for Leatherhead.  Sole was suddenly playing a bit deeper and Tomi, who had worked so hard at closing down defenders in the first half, lost his way.  Ultimately that meant we had no real credible goal scoring threat.

Needham then sent on two pairs of fresh legs and the pressure was on resulting in an inevitable equaliser.  The ball powered home for within the box.

Leatherhead did rally to bring some excitement into the final 5-10 minutes but Needham were able to keep us at bay and take a point.

Can we go two points better on Wednesday with the visit of Staines Town..?

 

Needham Market are coming

Let’s have it right.  Jimmy Bullard takes charge of his first league home game after the disappointment of the midweek last minute equaliser.

Needham Market are a side we failed to deal with last year when they were relatively poor in the league.  My advice would have been to look after the big lad upfront but there must be more to them this season as they sit in the play-off places.  A tough game to start with in front of what could be a big crowd.

The club have responded with happy hours and a chance to meet the man himself after the game.  I myself am holding out for an invitation to go fishing with him…

Kick off at 3pm.  See you there!

Folkestone 1 - 1 Tanners

Ex-Tanner Draycott popped up with a last minute equaliser to spoil the perfect start for Jimmy Bullard. 

Leatherhead, who have been thoroughly outclassed away from home so far this season, gave a good account for themselves.  Striking the woodwork early on and their ‘keeper was certainly the busier.  That said we could not take advantage of our chances and we went into half time 0-0.

Leatherhead again started well and Ben Francis scored on his debut.  If his arrival had anything to do with the new manager you could imagine there would have been a smile from ear to ear when that goal went in.

Any smile that was there was soon wiped off as Ian Draycott pounced in the last minute and took advantage of a nervous Leatherhead.  Perhaps what was more sickening was their ‘keeper had been forced into two good saves moments earlier.

Still.  Our first point away and the chance to take on Needham Market at The Grove presents itself on Saturday…

 

Travelling Tanners

What a surreal week it has been with the appointment of Jimmy Bullard and all the media attention, the likes of which we have not seen since we qualified for the first round proper of the FA Cup.

Now there is work to do with the trip to Folkestone, a midweek trip that would have previously meant a handful of supporters braving the M25 but I can see that increasing considerably.  Our hosts have doubled our tally of points for the season with 10 points.  Oh to avoid defeat for the first time on the road.

Kick off at 7.45.  Directions can be found here.  Good luck fellas.

 

Dorking Wanderers are coming

Set your alarms as Marc White is having his interview for the manager position at 10.30 tomorrow, it's just £4 to watch.
We welcome Dorking Wanderers in this hastily arranged fixture as we both suffered FA Cup defeats.

What a night

It has been a busy night at Fetcham Grove.  First of all we were reminded that we host Walton Casuals tomorrow in the League Cup (kick off at 7.45), and then we are informed of a Sandmann’s departure.

The timing is strange as we had just brought in a few players but results and second half performances were simply not going his way.  I am sure we all wish him well.

 

Billericay 4 - 2 Tanners

Leatherhead make it five away losses from five attempts following yet another second half disaster.  Game after game I find myself writing the same bloody thing; good first half but things go wrong from the off in the second.

Leatherhead did take the lead.  Hughes-Mason finding the net at last after we won the ball and broke away.  Leatherhead couldn’t quite see the half out and conceded a penalty to make it 1-1 at half time.

To be fair Leatherhead did put up a bit of a fight in the second half but failed to adjust to a double substitution and so conceded two quick goals.  Leatherhead looked to maybe get at least a point on the road when a red card was shown for deliberate handball on the line.  With the penalty scored it was now 3-2 and we had our tails up.

This one man advantage did not actually materialize into any real chances and insult was added to injury when the 10 men of Billericay did what we should have done and score to make it 4-2.

Looks like we have the week off… there are rounds in the FA Cup beyond the First Qualifying apparently…

Travelling Tanners

A bit of a six pointer it seems as we travel to Billericay tomorrow in the league.  Leatherhead are looking to get any kind of joy away from home.  Four trips and we have three league defeats and the FA Cup loss of last week.

Kick off at 3pm.  Directions can be found here.  Good luck fellas.

The Longest Day

Hythe Town 1 – 0 Tanners

I had a long time to contemplate the point of going to this game.  My wife often asks me “we do you bother?” and normally I have the answer, but that question would have sent my eyes staring firmly down at my nervously shuffling feet.  Defeat was inevitable as the journey was long.  To be fair the effort was there, unlike FA Cup ties over the last three years.  The players genuinely looked like they cared but simply were not good enough to beat a confident team with form on their side.

The first half was summarised as “it could have been worse”.  Those who braved the average journey time of three hours and remember South Park last year were at least rewarded with some attempts on goal.  While Hythe gave us the initial scare we probably edged the opening 45 minutes.  Hughes-Mason headed onto the post from a tight angle and Sole found the back of the net after the ‘keeper had spilled it but it was ruled out for offside.

Second half and it must have another Sandman halftime talk performed as a lullaby as there was only one team likely to win this game.  Hythe certainly overran us in midfield and poor Hughes-Mason is pushed so far out on the wing in an unnatural position he may as well run the bar.  Tomi was having a good game though, using his power to hold up the ball and make runs into the box.  There was more than a shout for a penalty when Tomi won the ball outside the box, beat a defender and then was brought down in the box.  The ref blew for a foul but gave it as a free kick outside the box, perhaps seeing the smallest of fouls he had played on from…

Leatherhead did have their moments, in fact it was from a piece of rare Leatherhead pressure that Hythe scored.  Breaking away from a corner and slotting the ball under our ‘keeper.  Leatherhead did try and respond.  A couple of substitutions allowed Mahal to come forward and in the dying moments Tomi dragged a shot agonizingly wide.  The last five minutes was probably our best spell in the game but it was too little, too late.  The two and a half hour drive home did at least give us time to contemplate what went wrong of which there was much.

Travelling Tanners

Well.  What should be an exciting weekend, with the FA Cup clash against Hythe, has suddenly become a little bit disappointing.  Firstly, it is the FA Cup and Leatherhead haven’t put up much of a fight in this competition in recent years.  Secondly, the route is going to need some smart navigation as the M20 is closed for the whole weekend.

Putting those two elephants in the room aside it should be a good clash.  Hythe are in the league below but are going well; we are in the league above and while struggling we just got our first win.  Could this even be a new ground?  It will be for me… if I ever get there…

Directions can be found here.  Kick off that 3pm.  See you there (I hope)!