Travelling Tanners

Another trip to the Robert Parker Stadium as we face Ashford Town tonight.  Leatherhead were not outplayed by the league leaders, although were at the wrong end of a 2-0 scoreline.  The team has seen some movement too.  

Our hosts, meanwhile, sit just one point behind us.  So a win is vital to prevent a further slide down the table.

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

Basingstoke 2 - 0 Tanners

On paper, it would seem this was a comfortable win for the table toppers and while I am not saying it was particularly uncomfortable, in truth it was a little bit different.

Leatherhead managed to have the majority of possession and, while we didn't look particularly dangerous in front of goal, managed to hit the woodwork twice in the first half.  Once from a corner and another from a long range effort.

We had one (and perhaps a half) good penalty shout waved away and limited Basingstoke to few chances.

When the chances came for Basingstoke, they came fast.  The opening goal was set up by one pass to set the winger free down the right and then a cross to set up a strike on goal.

Half time we changed ends with little else to do due to the lack of a clubhouse.  To our disappointment, it soon became apparent that their supporters were not going to change ends.  

The levels of smugness have not been seen since we played Maidstone away.  There we had an inform striker who would help inflict their first home defeat of the season so we could go away happy (albeit soaked in beer).  

Here we had a ref who could see a foul on a player who was wide of the box and adjudge it to be a clear goal scoring opportunity and brandish a red card.  Perhaps the pressure of playing in front of 753 people was too much.

Despite only having ten men, we continued to take the game to the hosts but our efforts were snuffed out with a headed goal late in the game to make it 2-0.

Off to Ashford on Tuesday, then...

Travelling Tanners

The NEW GROUND KLAXON sounds as we head off to Basingstoke.  I initially thought I had ticked this one off, until I discovered they left The Camrose in 2019.

This was always going to be a tough game but, after a wobble has become a stumble, it could be that little bit harder.  A new striker does arrive though, which will be needed as this is a 3G pitch and so we will probably be without Tarpey.

Kick off at 3pm.  Directions can be found here.  See you there!

Tanners 1 - 2 RVP

The historic treble is now off of the table, as we lost 2-1 to Raynes Park Vale last night.

A stunning Mullins header equalised in the first half, but an early second half RVP goal was the killer blow.  Things became harder on 68 minutes, when Puemo was sent off for two yellow card offences.

RVP were worthy winners in the end, with our 'keeper pulling off some fine saves.  On to the tricky away game at Basingstoke then...

Raynes Park Vale are coming

Tonight sees the arrival of Raynes Park Vale for the quarter final of the Surrey Senior Cup.  Our guests have won both of our two previous encounters in "friendlies", so it is about time we got a win.

Kick off at 7.45.  Good luck fellas.

Tanners 0 - 0 Uxbridge

As Nathan Jones found out last week, playing against 10 men can be a "hiding to nothing" as we struggled today.

The visitors were down to ten men after just three minutes, with their No 9 going in hard on our left back.  The scream was loud enough to warrant a red but with just a few minutes gone, these are the decisions the referees usually dodge.  Not today, and off he trudged.

Uxbridge then slowed the game down and made this all rather a non-event.  The ref did book their 'keeper for time wasting but, as he was unlikely to show a second for the same offence, it did little to speed up the game.

At times it was difficult to see where our extra man was and perhaps we should have gone down to nine to turn the tables on Uxbridge.  Tarpey came on and had a sniff of a one on one chance but their 'keeper came out quickly and smothered it.

0-0 it ends and on to Tuesday and the all important Surrey Senior Cup tie...

Uxbridge are coming!

After making genuine progress over the last few weeks, Leatherhead have their play-off rug swept from under them with two straight defeats.   We are now one point closer to the relegation places than we are the play-offs...

We can make amends today, with the visit of Unxbrigde who sit just beneath us on 31 points.

Kick off at 3pm.  See you there!

Southall 1 - 0 Tanners

Leatherhead travelled to Southall (well Stanwell) and left with very little chance of a play off place. After Marlow away we were starting to think it might be possible, but after two pointless league games we look to have run out of aviation fuel.

We started quite brightly utilising Hayden's Plan A "Pass The Ball".  The 'keeper dealt well with three shots on target and we looked the most likely to score. As the half wore on we started to create less, and the main interest was whether the huge gas holders behind the goal actually contained kerosene. John Loveridge was adamant that they did.

When the second half started we were expecting Hayden's Plan B "Pass the Ball Better" but it soon became clear that the players had other ideas and adopted Plan C "Give The Ball Away".  On 48 minutes Southall took the lead and never looked like losing it as we tired and started to look very ragged.

It was decided that Hayden should be spared a post match interview and having to give any messages to the downbeat Tanners fans amongst a meagre crowd of 108. Maybe The Southern Combination and Surrey Senior Cups can still provide some light and joy on an otherwise frustrating and fragmented season.

Travelling Tanners

Southall, those romantic devils, have ensured our midweek fixture did not clash with Valentine's Day so that we had time to impress our partners with a 99p card and a bunch of supermarket-bought flowers.  "You didn't buy the cheapest bunch" was my reward and now I can focus on tonight's game.

Our hosts sit four places above us and are two points the good.  We first met in September where we played out a 0-0 draw at a time where we couldn't score at home in the league.

Southall ground share with Ashford (so no new ground) and directions can be found here.  Kick off at 7.45.  Good luck fellas!

Tanners 1 - 3 Chertsey

In recent weeks, Leatherhead have looked much improved and worthy of our play-off aspirations.  Chersey have looked the part all season though, so today was going to be a tough test.

Leatherhead nearly got off to the perfect start, with a good chance falling to Hector but the 'keeper saved well.  The opportunity remained when the ball rebounded out to Tarpey on the edge of the box, but his lofted effort went just wide.

Chersey responded with a good chance that they, lucky, blasted high and wide.  From then on the first half took on a more cautious tone and both sides dug in.  The large crowd became rather flat and it was played out to an inevitable 0-0.

Second half and Chersey stepped through the gears and had the home side largely at their mercy.  While the sight of Swannell lifted the spirits of kids around the age of 8, it did little for the supporters aged 40-50 something which is largely our demographic.

First, a lofted ball was headed home past our stranded 'keeper.  0-1. Then a low ball found a player on the spot who rifled it into the top left hand corner.  The third goal I missed while heading to the toilets.

We did try and restore some pride with a Dave Tarpey goal.  About 10 seconds of head-tennis was finished off by our striker, who needed to generate all the power himself to beat the 'keeper.

A real shame, as a win would have moved us up to eighth.  Southall, on Wednesday, is the next opportunity to progress up the league... 

Tanners 3 - 0 Frimley Green

When I think of Frimley Green I think of the BDO Darts; sitting in a hall wearing an Hawaiian shirt... although it was hardly the weather for that fancy dress as the temperature dropped lower than my feet could withstand.

Hayden, understandably, made a number of changes.  He played all the right players but not necessarily in the right order, with a centre back wearing the number 9 shirt.  He did open the scoring when the 'keeper palmed it down for a tap in but missed an open goal minutes later.

The goal certainly settled the nerves as Frimley Green missed an open goal and a one on one chance to perhaps go 2-0 up.

From there on Leatherhead controlled the game, winning a penalty late in the second half - which Archie calmly slotted away - and then securing a third goal which I missed due to frostbite.

A fine win but, even during the game, thoughts turn to Saturday and the arrival of Chertsey...

Frimley Green are coming!

Tonight we dip our toe into the Southern Combination Cup pool.  A competition originally set aside for the U23s but now falls upon the first team to fulfill the fixture due to their folding in the summer.

Kick off at 7.45.  Discounted prices for season ticket holders, by the way.  See you there!

Hanworth Villa 0 - 0 Tanners

Perhaps with one eye on the Southern Combination Cup, Leatherhead played out a 0-0 draw last night.

A blistering first half did not produce a goal and in the second half our hosts made it difficult for us on an increasingly frosty pitch.

On to Thursday then and the visit of Frimley Green.

Travelling Tanners

Leatherhead hits the cold and frosty road tonight as they travel to Hanworth Villa.  A run of form takes us into a busy week as we look to climb up the table.  Our hosts sit just one place below us and recently beat South Park...

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

Marlow 1 - 3 Tanners

For only the second time this season, Leatherhead score three (or more) goals to notch up a fine win on the road.

Lawson was the man to get us on our way with two goals, the first as early as five minutes, with Marlow scoring in between.

Leatherhead had to dig deep in the second half, as Marlow responded, but a third goal from Diallo made the three points safe.

A busy week ahead this week, with a trip Hanworth Villa being first on the cards on Tuesday night...

Travelling Tanners

Whatever your troubles are, navigating the Marlow roundabout will soon put them into perspective.  We travel to Marlow FC today, in the league, following a string of good results.  A win could finally see us jump up the table after weeks of making ground.

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

Tanners 1 - 1 Chertsey (8-7 on penalties)

This game looked like it was going to penalties from the opening few minutes, the only surprise being there were two goals scored within the 90 minutes.

It wasn't a classic.  Leatherhead squandered a couple of chances when they had 1-1s, one by Archie and someone who looks exactly like Archie.

In the second half Chersey mounted an attack with their striker in possession inside the box.  He still had plenty to do but managed to hold off one our defenders and release a powerful shot into the back of the net.  0-1.

It felt like this had happened in the 120th minute but a quick glance at the scoreboard showed it was only 67 minutes.  Plenty of time...

Chertsey had won everything in the air.  In fact the only corner that was not met by a Chertsey head was when it was kicked straight out for a goal kick.  So when, on 85 minutes, a corner was predictably cleared we thought another chance had gone but it fell to Dan Hector; who shifted the ball to his right and rifled a shot into the top right hand corner.

Suddenly the game sprang to life.  Leatherhead mounted another quick attack but this broke down to send the visitors up the other end where they very nearly scored but for an amazing save from Slav.  Penalties then...

The ref really should have gone straight to penalties as this was the best part of the game by far.  Both teams made their first three before Tarpey stepped up and hit the bar.  The pressure of the fifth penalty was too much for Chertsey's fifth penalty taker and he also hit the bar.

Parity remained until the eighth penalty where Slav stepped up.  We have been here before when Zak took one... same song, same result as it sailed over the bar.  Then their cocky 'keeper stepped up and out of some weird goal-keeper-union sympathy he sent the ball the same way.

It was getting tense now and I looked down to make an update and I was inexplicably about to tweet a picture of the San Siro... foreign objects struck my leg... basically I lost count.

I knew enough that if Slav saved after we scored we would win.  He had already got his hands on two but not managed to keep it out but finally he got enough on (the tenth as it turns out) one to send us into the next round.

Smashing.  Onto Marlow!