Tanners 1 - 0 Bowers Pitsea

Leatherhead get their first win of the season thanks to my positivity and an Olutade goal.

We started brightly.  Travis was causing problems down our right and it was from him we got our goal.  We pounced on a cross and fired powerfully at the 'keeper who could only spill it into the path of Ibz who instinctively headed it home.

Second half and Leatherhead started the game with their trademark laissez faire approach and were it not for an excellent save from Zak we would have conceded.  This was a storm we had to weather for 15 minutes before the sense of inevitability subsided.

Then we looked a decent side again and on two occasions we went narrowly wide of the post.  We also were spared by a ref who adjudged a foul to have occurred outside the box where some may have seen it another way.

Three points in the bag and Nikki can finally be himself again in front of the cameras again.  Bognor Regis Town on Tuesday...

Bowers & Pitsea are coming

I have been told The Lip isn't as positive as it could be.  A little shocked by this I took a look at the table and can announce we are just 11 points off of the play-off places with it all to play for.

That starts, again, tomorrow with the visit of Bowers & Pitsea.  We could have met our new friends last week, but for a last minute goal at Lewes that sent us to penalties in the FA Cup.  Our guests sit in 14th place and have a Third Qualifying Round to look forward to.

Kick off at 3pm.  See you there!

Worthing 5 - 5 Tanners

Bloody hell.  What must Leatherhead do to win a game this season?

Some fifteen years ago, Worthing was the venue for my stag-do where my pants were pulled down and I was given a good spanking.  It was that in mind I entered the stadium and the opening few minutes did little to convince we another humiliating good hiding wasn't going to be dished out today.  Yeah, it was some tidy footwork to beat our defender to set up the goal but on two minutes you fear the worst.

Leatherhead did not lie down though and some equally smart move down our right and a good low cross allowed Travis to fire home to make it 1-1.  Hester-Cook guided the ball home from the edge of the area shortly after to make it 2-1 and Worthing looked a little shell-shocked.  The ref too was clearly confused with what was going on and awarded us a penalty for something that was not immediately obvious.  He was too handsome to argue with and so DSane stepped up but scuffed his shot right at the 'keeper.

Leatherhead were really dominating this game and limited Worthing to just two chances.  A pity they scored from both of them as we allowed them to cross and head home with ease.  Nikki Bull was ruddy furious and there is a water bottle that will never see action again.

Second half and it all went off.  Worthing repeated their trick of scoring in the opening minutes and the curse of a complete second half collapse went on, despite Nikki Bull coming out from the dressing room 5 minutes early.  Then Leatherhead came into their own.  A swinging cross found Tommy Wood's head and the ball rocketed into the back of the net. 3-3.  Otulade then broke free and fired the ball into the top corner. 4.3. Tommy Wood repeated his trick, albeit less convincingly as he ball found the net via his neck then shoulder.  They all count.

5-3 the good.  This was it, the first win.  Supporters were so relaxed they argued the subject a former teacher taught at school.  Then, it happened.

A rather harmless ball was aimed into the box but it had a touch of spin that deceived Will Salmon sending it behind him instead of bouncing up onto his chest as he ran onto it.  He had a choice, let it go and try and recover or "innocently" leave the trailing arm out to be struck.  Amazingly he opted for the latter and the statuesque ref awarded the most obvious penalty you will see.  5-4.

At 5-4 the equaliser was just a matter of time and sure enough some balls-up of sorts allowed them to fire a shot through a crowd of players to ruin what would have been a lovely away trip.

As away trips go though it wasn't all that bad.  There was a light festival on the beach, which my wife saw online and insisted on going to.  I bumped into a couple of their fans and it appeared they were as disappointed with a draw as we were.  Ten goals and neither side happy.  First World problems, I guess.  After that the ten goal thriller, Nikki Bull has given the side the weekend off.  No action this week...

Travelling Tanners

Out of the cup, winless and bottom of the league; is a plastic pitch the place to go today?  Probably not, but that's the task at hand when we travel to Worthing today.

Worthing have nine points to their name while Leatherhead have two "new" on-loan signings.

Kick off at 3pm.  See you there!

Lewes 2 - 2 Tanners (Lewes win 3-1 on penalties)

We conceded on 5 minutes but heads stayed up and we responded well with D'Sane converting a clear penalty on 18 minutes.

We continued to show great levels of energy. Tommy Wood finishing confidently to put us 2-1 up on 23 minutes. This wasn't the stroll in Tivoli Gardens that Lewes might have expected and it certainly wasn't the place for Little Mermaids. 

The 2nd half was a significant improvement on previous efforts this season. The energy levels and commitment were back to the levels Nikki has been crying out for. Passions were running high with everyone hoping £4,500 would end up in the right hands. 

A stunning save from Zak kept our dreams alive until the last moment of normal time when Lewes equalised with a disputed "was it over the line?" goal. Zak and Will were booked for their protestations making a costly 5 bookings on the night for the Tanners.

We had the best chance of the 1st period when Hester Cook just missed out on converting a One-on-One. Still 2-2 and the 2nd period saw us kicking towards the no-man's-land end. The end nearest the car park as the crow flies but the furthest away when walking as they don't bother to open the gate.

Make that 6 bookings. Our 6th turning from a gentle yellow into a nasty red. Luckily it came with just 7 minutes left before penalties.

Penalties. Lost. Good night.

Travelling Tanners

The first round of "Everywhere we go..." will quietly start at 4pm today, reaching a crescendo on reaching Lewes an hour later when fans step off of the coach wondering why the bloody hell did they get to the ground nearly three hours before kick-off.  This will no doubt be cleared up upon entering the first pub...

On the pitch, Leatherhead are still looking for their first win over 90 minutes.  If the game was only 45 minutes we'd be laughing with 8 points and £4,500 in the bank.

Kick off at 7.45.  Good luck fellas.

Tanners 2 - 2 Lewes

Into to the Dripping Pan and out of desire.

Leatherhead squandered a two goal lead to take this tie into a replay.  It was a very different Leatherhead performance in the first half and Lewes looked quite ratted by the new presence upfront we had.  We were positive and threatening which had the Lewes defenders exchanging nervous glances.

The nervous levels rose further as Jerry stepped up for set pieces and his presence paid off with two goals. One seemed to glance off of his shoulder and the other a powerful header that gave the 'keeper no chance.

2-0 and we mused over where we would like to play in the next round.  A nice trip to Weston-super-Mare or Truro... I may even make a weekend of it.  Now, whatever Nikki says at half time he should stop, pull up a chair in the bar with a beer and stay out of it as what happened next was typical of what we have seen this season so far.

It was a completely different team that turned out and Lewes now looked like the confident team.  Tommy Wood who looked so promising now had a touch of the Joe Sheerin about him.  With only three subs there was little inspiration on the bench and when they did come on they appeared a yard off of the pace.

The result was an emphatic Lewes comeback as they pulled the two goals back with little resistance.  In the dying minutes a powerful shot looked destined to send us crashing out of the cup, but fortunately it crashed against the post and bounced safely away.

Wednesday night for the replay.  I'm in Copenhagen so will miss all the fun...

Lewes are coming. Again.

As so often is the case, a cup fixture follows with the same opposition you have shortly faced (or will face) in the league and so that is tomorrow.  Lewes were a side that looked ripe for the picking but that was overlooking just how bloody poor we have been this season.

The shenanigans off the pitch no doubt played a major part in this.  Bland club statements and stiff-upper lip can only take you so far when you then let a few things slip to the local press.

On to tomorrow we go then.  A flurry of new signings and the prospect of winning and keeping some FA Cup prize money (I meant due to having registered players, obviously) will hopefully lift the side.

Kick off at 3pm.  See you there!