Game off

Predictably, tonight's game has fallen to the weather for the third time.

Hopefully Horndean will allow the NEW GROUND KLAXON to sound at the weekend.

Tanners 3 - 2 Met Police

A late goal gives Leatherhead all three points for the second consecutive game, but this time they were well worth the win and had to overcome some dubious officiating…

 

On the 50 Year anniversary of the Leicester City match, Before the game, a genuinely heartwarming moment occurred when a Leicester fan met the players, reminiscing about one of her all-time favourite games. Her grandson was even bought a (blue) Leatherhead shirt.

 

Onto the game and Leatherhead looked comfortable from the start.  The Met Police 'keeper did not look the most mobile of shot stoppers, so the instruction must have gone out to test him from distance.  So when Ruben lined up a shot from distance, he stood no chance and even the most agile goalkeepers would have struggled to save it.

 

About 10 minutes later the officials stepped in to make it interesting.  Met Police made a rare breakaway attack; the lino failed to see the striker in a clear offside position which would have stopped the move there and then but now our defender had to stop the move.  It wasn't quite clear if our defender was fouled, or the striker missed the ball and kicked our defender but after a brief pause the penalty was given.  1-1.

 

Second half and Leatherhead continued to apply themselves well.  After a few missed chances the lively Brisset found himself with a clear shot on goal after the defence parted in front of him.  Straight at the 'keeper but with enough power it went between his legs, albeit with a deflection, and into the goal.  2-1.

 

Another aspect of today's celebration was to show the Leicester game highlights on loop, and therefore I had already seen Leatherhead lose five times so I was desensitised to the award of another penalty.  Our defender rose with his back to the ball only to have the header strike his raised arm from close range.  2-2.

 

It looked like a disappointing draw was on the cards, but Dubai-bound Kavanagh had other ideas.  He sent in a deep cross to the far post that eluded everyone and found its way into the back of the net.  There is a chance a Leatherhead player got some form of contact to help it on its way, but no one was taking they goal from the departing captain.

 

A nice win to try and keep pressure on the play-off places.  We are supposed to be playing Guernsey on Tuesday but Sunday's rain and the arrival of Storm Herminia will no doubt put pay to that…

Met Police are coming…

I'm assuming Thursday night's heavy rain isn't causing a problem today as there is no news of a pitch inspection.

Met Police come to the Grove for this league fixture. A side that sit just above the relegation zone and have lost their last four games… banana skin…

Kick off at 3pm. See you there!

Tanners 2 - 1 Horndean

It felt like Leatherhead got away with one on Tuesday and must have sent a Horndean side travelling down the A3 wondering where it all went wrong.

 

Leatherhead looked reasonably comfortable in the first half.  The odd chance here and there but nothing to really write home about.  The highlights being a cross that was just beyond Lukas and hitting the post from a freekick.

 

Second half and I really did worry for us.  A little bit against the run of play, Horndean managed to get a close range shot in off of the post.  From then Leatherhead disappeared for a while.  Our guests had the chance to make it 2-0 with a striker clear through on goal, but luckily he pulled his shot just wide of the post.

 

Then our saviour stepped up.  Ruben had only been on for seven minutes before their opening goal but started to offer something different.  Notably, someone in the box to receive a cross.  Something we had lacked at Ks and most of this game.  

 

On 77 minutes Lukas fired in a cross from the right and there was Ruben to tap into the open net.  Then just when we thought we were settling for the draw the pair repeated the trick and grabbed the winner.

 

Three points to keep us moving up the table and we get to do it again (Storm Éowyn pending) on Saturday with the visit of Met Police.

Horndean are coming!

Can't talk. Eating curry.

Kick off at 7.45. See you there!

Ks 1 - 1 Tanners

After a string of cancellations and tricky games against lower-half teams, we could now look forward to an easier game against second-place-give-it-a-go Ks… and had we taken some of our first half chances that is how it would have seemed.

 

The nonsensical pitch inspection resulted in someone popping to Wickes and placing a bucket of sand down near a penalty spot.  Other than that the pitch facilitated free flowing football where Leatherhead could have marched onto a 3 to 4 goal lead.  We looked dangerous down our left but no one seemed to want to run on enough to finish the shot / cross that followed.

 

Their 'keeper, under some pressure, flapped at a ball and watched helplessly as it fell towards (some say over) the line until a desperate clearance saved his blushed.  Another powerful shot from the left took a slight deflection that was enough to take it onto the post and out for a corner.

 

Quite the start but the game looked to have settled down, and so with seconds to go I retreated to the bar to warm up only to discover Ks scored on the break.

 

The second half saw a more measured approach from Leatherhead but we still looked dangerous.  Finally we got the equaliser, when a cross found Lukas on the edge of the box and he fired a low shot through a crowded area and into the bottom corner.

 

I thought we would push on and win but the final 5-10 minutes belonged to Ks who kept us under real pressure and probably went away disappointed with just a draw.

 

Onto Tuesday then and the visit of sixteenth placed Horndean…

Travelling Tanners

The pitch passed the most dubiously-called inspection of all time so we're off to Raynes Park Vale to play Ks.

My journey is not the best. The A3 is closed and the train has the glorious addition of a Rail Replacement Service. Joined up thinking, lads.

Kick off at 3pm. See you there!

Travelling Tanners



After several postponements to our schedule, Leatherhead should return to action tonight for the Surrey Senior Cup.

 

For many, this the New Ground Klaxon will be sounding tonight.  I visited our Combined Counties opposition some ten years ago.  Our guests sit just outside the play-off places and recently beat our old friends Chipstead 4-1 away.

 

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

Westfield are coming

This time last year we suffered a 3-0 loss away at Westfield, during a soaking wet late kick off. Hopefully the rain is the only constant today.

Our guests are on exactly the same number of points, albeit with a negative goal difference.

Kick off at 3pm. Good luck fellas!