Hornchurch are coming

Fifth place Hornchurch come to the Grove today, in what will be a tough game.

The away fixture was a one-that-got-away fixture as we took an early lead, failed to double the lead moments later and then conceded a very late equaliser (while almost losing it with a save in the last few seconds).

The sun is out; bar open; kick off at 3pm.  See you there! 

Travelling Tanners

A long trip to face a high flying Enfield Town is in store for Leatherhead today.  

Sitting in third place with the second highest number of goals will mean all of the newly formed resilience we have seen will be fully tested today.  Hopefully they will put up a better fight than some of my fence panelling.

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

Tanners 2 - 2 Bognor Regis

It looked like a well earned point, until you see the video evidence and you realise a terrible decision costs us yet again...

Leatherhead again looked competitive but this time with a more attacking edge.  The first half wasn't exactly all out attack but we had two penalty shouts waved away (standard) and the ball struck the bar after forcing their 'keeper into a fine save.

Second half is where it all really happened.  Lamont opened the scoring past an injured injured 'keeper, whose damaged hand was not strong enough to keep his long range out.  Bognor's choice to play an injured 'keeper was bold, but when you haven't scored at home for nearly 6 hours it probably didn't seem like such a gamble at the time.

1-0 and we were starting to drop deeper to defend and were faced with a string of opportunities to clear a ball but failed.  1-1.

Then the controversy.  At the time, from 100 yards away it looked a bizarre decision and the video evidence doesn't make much more sense either.

A ball into the box was collected by our 'keeper... he got their first and turns his back to protect himself from the challenging player who, if anything, makes a late tackle (a yellow card?).  The striker then hauls our 'keeper to the floor (a further yellow card or straight red?) and the ref runs backwards while looking at all of this to make up his mind... penalty to Bognor and one yellow to their player.

2-1 it looked like we were robbed of anything until the ref did see and obvious push in the box.  Up stepped German, who had missed a one on one earlier, to grab an equaliser.  

Jermain was brought down in  the box minutes later but the ref's incompetence didn't stretch to awarding the same team two penalties.  Archie Burnett had the ball in the back of the net but the assistant decided, unlike his incompetent opposite number at the other end, to assist and rule it out for offside.

Frustrating but on we go with a visit from Lewes on Tuesday...

Bognor Regis Town are coming

Tuesday night saw a battling performance against Margate rewarded with a point.  It could have been more when a defender "unintentionally" batted the ball away to safety with his hand in the second half.

Tomorrow we place similarly placed opposition in Bognor Regis.  A side that narrowly beat us 3-2 earlier in the season after we took an early lead.

Kick off at 3pm.  See you there!

Margate are coming

Saturday saw a battling performance away at Cheshunt which resulted in a 1-0 loss.  Our last 15 minutes could have been worth more but we were thwarted by an excellent 'keeper.  That said, our new 'keeper pulled off a fine doble save in the first half.

Tonight we continue with our run of tough games with the visit of 9th placed Margate.  A side that we lost 4-2 away earlier in the season.  Some loan recalls and injuries means a couple of new signings will be on show tonight...

Kick off at 7.45.  See you there!

Travelling Tanners

A long trip today against another well placed side in Cheshunt.

I thought we had turned a corner when we faced them at home.  We had just won 2-0 and the then goal hero struck early… we went on to be worn down for a 2-1 loss.

Kick off at 3pm.  Good luck fellas!

Tanners 0 - 0 Bishop's Stortford

After the euphoria of the away win it was down to the mucky business of grinding out any kind of result at home.  If we only played away, we would be in a comfortable 13th place but for some reason the green green grass of the Grove has not proved to be a happy hunting ground.

There were three moments that summed this game up for me.  A headed clearance off our line in the first half; along with a dive and a struck post in the second.  On another day that would be two conceded goals and a penalty kick awarded against us.  Not today.

Another key moment came in the second half when their no 14, already booked for not retreating 10 yards for a freekick, decided he wanted to pull one of our players down by the neck.  A brief mele followed and the ref dished out several yellow cards; one of which was to the instigator who now saw red.

The visitors are a tough side and despite facing 10 men for the second time in a row our main objective was to compete and keep them at bay.

So, after the heavy defeat at Worthing we have gone on to collect 5 points from three games and suddenly Cheshunt just seems a few miles closer...