Chipstead 1 - 2 Tanners

Leatherhead made a significant number of changes last night but still left enough quality within the team to secure a hard-fought win.

The starting lineup clearly indicated an attacking formation, with three or even four players up front. Date was back from his bench-warming duties, while Lukas played a slightly deeper role.

Seb opened the scoring, unchallenged as he leaped high to meet the ball and steer it back toward the far post. We mistakenly thought this would signal the floodgates opening, leading us to score another three or four goals, but Chipstead dug in.

They more than dug in when they equalised. Our new goalkeeper did well to stop the first shot but could only parry it back into the path of the striker, who finished clinically with a low shot. Were penalties looming…?

Thankfully not, as we were awarded a free kick in a dangerous area. Rhys took a low shot that took a slight deflection, finding the nearside post and going in. 2-1.

The second half, with more changes, became harder to watch. The highlight was seeing a couple of ex-Tanners on display for the hosts. Aaron Lamont played in central defense, demanding the ball short from the goalkeeper in an attempt to play it out from the back, only to constantly run into trouble. He'd fit right in at Southampton. Melford Simpson also came on and continues to prove he is not the kind of player who comes back to haunt you with goals.

On to Saturday, then, and the visit of Raynes Park Vale…

Travelling Tanners

It's not the FA Cup, but is a competition we should rightly take seriously as we travel to Chipstead tonight.

Our hosts sit in 17th place in the combined counties. It sounds like we are going to make some changes, but hopefully not too many to fall into the trap of underestimating our opponents.

Kick off at 7.45. See you there!

Travelling Tanners

I can't make this game as I'm going off for the weekend to celebrate my 50th - 50th! - birthday. My reward for reaching this milestone is my doctor telling me that I should by a blood pressure monitor and another supporter informing of the number of his friends who got serious health issues at this age. Happy ruddy birthday!

Enough about me and time to focus on the job at hand. Travelling to Ascot to try and notch up our fourth win in a row. Lukas hit a dry spell by not scoring on Tuesday, but hopefully we have enough to get a win and really start pressuring the playoff places.

Kick off at 3pm. Good luck fellas!

Tanners 4 - 0 Ashford Town

No Date night for Leatherhead, as Deondre returned to Tonbridge to sit on the bench while we went on to notch up four goals (or more) for the third game in a row.

Leatherhead opened the scoring on just night minutes, when Kelvin Manuel Massango fired in a low shot on goal.  A defender stuck out an instinctive leg to block it, but only served to put a thick enough deflection on it to score an own goal.

Ashford Town were not to be phased by this as they put some pressure on to score and had to relatively good chances blasted over until we got our second.  We got the ball on the left of the six yard box and our player avoided the tackle of a couple of players but not the 'keeper who missed the ball and took him out.  The ref thought about it for a long time but pointed to the spot.

Not for the first time this season, the opposing 'keeper then developed an injury that required the physio to pretend to do something. The delay was long enough to make Kavanagh take the ball off of Lukas and blast it down the middle with the 'keeper healed enough to dive.  2-0.

The second half and Leatherhead continued as they had finished off, playing fast flowing and attacking football.  Ceesay made it 3-0 when he received the ball from Lukas on the left and deftly chipped a diving 'keeper.

Sonny went on to make two crucial saves before we made it 4-0.  A salvo of shots were blocked until Karczewski found a way through the stubborn defence.

All in all, an entertaining evening and so we travel to Ascot on Saturday…

Ashford Town are coming!

Luke Tuffs – once of this parish – returns to the Grove tonight with his Ashford Town side.  Let's hope tonight isn't an after the Lord Mayor's Show performance.  Following our stunning win on Saturday, it may be we go into this game a little too cocky and hasn't Lukas scored too many times…?

Our visitors sit in the relegation zone with just seven points.  A feeling still fresh in our minds.

Kick off at 7.45.  See you there!

Tanners 4-1 Farnham

Leatherhead put out a display that was perhaps a little bit more than "one of them things" to end Farnham's impressive 58 unbeaten run in the league.

 

I couldn't make this game as I had to drive my wife to a medical appointment, so as I eased into Holland Park Reserves vs Smallfield I feared the worst for Leatherhead against a side that is top of the league.  My fears were misplaced as we opened the scoring on 38 minutes through Franzen -Jones (the website indicated he had scored twice in the same minute, but this was quickly amended).

 

Lukas was on hand to make it 2-0 before Farnham responded to make it a nervy 2-1… but nerves were calmed just a minute later as Lukas notched up an impressive hattrick and five from the last two games.

 

A great piece of improvisation saw a ball flicked on to allow Kane Fitzgerald to run through on goal.  He was soon brought under pressure from a 'keeper on the edge of his area and a covering defender, but he managed to wrong foot both and roll the ball into an empty net.   4-1 and then the majority of the 600 plus crowd could really enjoy the afternoon.

 

Onto Tuesday and the visit of Ashford Town.  Weather permitting.

Farnham are coming!

Hopefully this morning's rain has not spoiled our day, as we host Farnham today.

Farnham are on a roll. Since their change of ownership, they have won trophies and maintained huge winning streaks… and so unbeaten-in-the-league Farnham come to the Grove today.

Kick off at 3pm (but look out for announcements). Good luck fellas.

Tanners 6 - 1 Rayners Lane

Leatherhead achieved the result they had been hinting at, scoring six goals against a side that were pulled apart for much of the game. It nearly didn't go that way, as Leatherhead almost "Leatherheaded" themselves early in the match.

In the opening five minutes, Leatherhead displayed their attacking intent and put the hosts under early pressure. It seemed the pressure had paid off when one of our players was pulled to the ground in the box. Crucially, the assistant referee flagged for it, but the referee was not interested, allowing Rayners Lane to break away and score. It was 0-1, and it looked like another repeat of the Moneyfields match.

The referee did redeem himself (a little) when their 'keeper tried the old trick of sitting on the floor and claiming to be injured while not coming into contact with any players. The referee saw through this obvious attempt at time-wasting and ordered him to his feet, and up he jumped—healed but without the yellow card he deserved.

That was not the only miracle on display, as we went on to score more than once in a single game. The equalizer came when a cross from the left was met by a diving Laing at the far post in the 32nd minute. Franzen-Jones then put us in front when he was presented with the ball in the middle of the goal, while the goalkeeper seemed to be defending the corner flag. It was 2-1.

Alex Pearce has made an immediate impact to the team, constantly organizing and leading by example. This was the case when he popped up at the far post to meet a low ball from a corner and put it past the goalkeeper. He hit it with his knee, but this is the kind of fortune that has evaded us so far this season.

In the second half, any thoughts that we would be content to hold onto our 3-1 lead were quickly dispelled as we continued to launch full-out attacks on our weary guests. In the 55th minute, Date hit a powerful shot that took a deflection and beat the 'keeper. Rayners Lane lost the ball almost immediately from the restart, allowing Franzen-Jones to attack down the left and fire into the far corner just a minute later. Then, in the 75th minute, a cry of "SHOOT" finally resulted in a goal as Date picked his spot, and the goalkeeper could only watch and admire the placement.

A healthy win, just in time as we prepare to host league leaders, Farnham, on Saturday…

Rayners Lane are coming!

A chance to see our new friends in action and hope some of the attacking football we saw on Saturday will be on show again today.

Our hosts are sitting comfortably in 11th place, while we sit two points from safety…

Kick off at 7.45. See you there!

Harrow Borough 2 - 2 Tanners

A record breaking day (I could be wrong) for Tanners as a former Premier League player (19 appearances for Reading 2012-13) played for us for the first time.

Alex Pearce provided the leadership and experience we have been lacking but once again "we was robbed" in the dying minutes.

Another first for this season sees us in the relegation places. We were all expecting a battle not to stay in the division instead of one to stay in it.  Farnham won't be complacent though as they know we have 2 games in hand and breathing down their necks, just 20 points behind.

This was a highly entertaining game and those who chose to sit at home, while listening to basic commentary, would have regretted it if we had deservedly taken all 3 points. Alfie Huckle stuck a foot out and deflected the ball into the net from a free kick on 21 minutes. Harrow responded quickly and we went into half time all square.

We took the lead with a stunning free kick from Tom Kavanagh QC. The free kick had been won by our new striker who looked lively when he was subbed on in the 2nd half. We desperately need him to repeat his goal scoring form at Lancing last season. We should have put the game to bed after that but 2 one on one chances were spurned.

The referee added on 6 minutes and Harrow used to 4th one to win a penalty when one of our defenders was suckered into a foul. Grown men who have won FA Cup medals, and about a hundred men who haven't, were left to drive back down the A40 in tears.

Travelling Tanners

A harrowing prospect for Leatherhead, as they travel to the second best team in the league with little, by way of form, in the tank.

Two new signings do bolster the ranks though. A defender with full international caps for Ireland and nine appearances for Southampton (where was he at Moneyfields), and a striker who scored 28 goals last season.

Kick off at 3pm. Good luck fellas!

It’s off!

My post was the kiss of death. No game tonight, so we focus on the trip to second place Harrow Borough on Saturday.

South Park are coming!

Now that the futility of the Trophy has come to an end, we can get back to the serious business of the league and the visit of South Park.

We play another side below us (although, we are running out of options in that department) as only goals scored keeps us above them.

Kick off at 7.45 (I hope, there's been no mention of pitch inspections). See you there!

Hastings United are coming!

The 37th annual Queen Convention takes me away from this game, so I couldn't go even if I wanted to… which I don't.

Hastings United come to the Grove for the Trophy.

Kick off at 3pm. Good luck fellas.

Moneyfields 2 - 1 Tanners

Another last-minute goal brings another disappointing result on a night that was disappointing from start to finish.

 

Arriving at the ground and I was a little deflated.  I understand Moneyfields have had a lot of trouble in even getting the ground ready, so I am sympathetic, but the provision for supporters was somewhat lacking.  Hot food constituted of a lukewarm budget sausage roll (£3!), a bar that resembled a doctor's waiting room and space behind the far goal was limited to just a few feet.  A ground with a trainline running by it is a wonderful thing and that did lift my spirits.

 

Not for long though, as we conceded a penalty in the opening couple of minutes.  Handball in the box (apparently) and they stepped up to make it 1-0.

 

Leatherhead brushed themselves off and started pressing for an equaliser and it came on the half hour.  A high and hopeful ball was chased by Date and the defender failed to make any contact with it, allowing him to run on uncontested.  He calmly slotted it past the isolated 'keeper to make us think we could go on and win the game.  Oh, how wrong we were.

 

In the second half, the game became shrouded in ham acting, poor officiate and controversy.  Moneyfields had deployed the dark arts throughout the game; going down screaming with broken limbs only to dust themselves off later so we knew what we were in for.  

It started when badly Karczewski was fouled when running in on goal and he gave them a taste of their own medicine.  Their number 6 did not like this and stood over our player to remonstrate and somehow the writhing player made contact and down he went clutching his leg.  A ref should look at this and laugh but over he went to the assistant who claimed he saw something, and a straight red was offered.

 

This actually ignited Leatherhead into an attacking force and we played some of our best football but, as with Saturday, we were prone to the counter attack.  Sonny had saved us on three or four occasions until the last minute of regular time when a long ball was met by a player who lobbed him to get the hosts their first win and doubling their tally for the season so far.

 

Onto Saturday then and the arrival of Hastings in the crappy Trophy.

Travelling Tanners

I hope the good people of Moneyfields do not go away as happy with tonight's result as they did last night.  Tonight we make one of our longer trips, down to the South Coast, for this league fixture.

 

Our hosts sit in the relegation zone, with three draws to their name.  We sit just one point above them…

 

Kick off at 7.45.  Directions can be found here.  See you there!