Burgess Hill 2 - 2 Tanners

This was a tough workout for the Tanners — 28C, an artificial pitch, and a third game in eight days at a higher level.

 

The referee, a junior quantity surveyor, soon showed he couldn’t measure up. He compensated for his lack of height with a lack of ability. He conveniently ignored Sonny being pushed to the ground — perhaps it was too early in the game for a yellow — then forgot about playing advantage and reprimanded our bench for politely pointing it out.

 

Burgess Hill have almost as many bars as Westfield have excuses for bottling it last season, and a crowd of nearly 1,000 enjoyed the afternoon staying hydrated in the Sussex sunshine.

 

Cam Black was missing — well, he was named on the bench, but was clearly pretending — which meant Joe Jackson stepped in at centre-back.

 

Burgess Hill opened the scoring on 21 minutes with the follow-up to a saved shot. As we have come to expect, the resilient Tanners bounced back through a superb header from our man of nearly every match, Mark Waters, on 33 minutes.

 

Anas took us into the lead straight after half-time with a cool finish, but after that it was backs to the wall as Burgess Hill Town got an equaliser on 50 minutes and piled on the pressure with some slick football.

 

It’s not easy to beat us away from home — it’s been over a year — and we held out for a very hard-earned point.

 

Seven points from our first three games — we’d all have taken that. The lads get a well-earned week off from the league and can now look forward to a home game on Saturday. It might even rain.

Travelling Tanners

After a great start to the season, we get to travel to our old friends Burgess Hill.  You have to go back 10 years since we last played there, when we lost 3-2.  Let’s hope for better today.

 

Our hosts sit three points behind us, having tasted defeat on the opening day away to Brentwood Town.

 

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

Tanners 4 - 1 Welling United

Coming away with three points on Saturday, after a determined second-half performance, was validation that we could compete at our new level — but that can all change with a couple of heavy defeats. So I entered the ground wondering whether Welling United, a side that probably fancies being there or thereabouts this season, would be the ones to knock us off our not-so-lofty perch. Any fears I had were soon put to bed as we unleashed an unforgiving attack that saw us race into a 4–0 lead by half-time.

 

Anas was first on the scoresheet. A Welling defender failed to cut out a cross and only succeeded in prodding it to Anas, who received the ball about 15 yards out on the right. The keeper must have anticipated a shot across goal, as he seemed wholly unprepared for the effort into the near top corner and could only get the slightest hand to it as it flew in. Just three minutes later he doubled the scoreline when a cross from the left was flicked down into his path a few yards from goal and he calmly slid the ball under the keeper.

 

Twenty minutes gone, 2–0 up, and still part of me worried that one goal from Welling would change the dynamic — but as we neared the end of the half, the game was effectively tucked up in bed. On 41 minutes, Dickson received the ball about 25 yards from goal out on the right and advanced towards goal. We all expected a cross to pick someone out, but instead he let fly with an audacious dipping shot that sailed over the keeper and into the far-side netting — our first goal at the far post of the season. Then, on the stroke of half-time, Waters took hold of the ball in central midfield and let fly after beating a couple of Welling players. The shot took a deflection and, once again, the Welling keeper looked like a man who wished he’d taken up golf instead. 4–0.

 

Into the second half, and Ian Selley activated “Let’s Not Do Anything Silly” mode as we played a far more measured game. The Lip’s Barrington forced a save with a header, and a smart corner routine might have produced another goal with a cleaner finish, but we were rarely troubled for the first 30 minutes. Then, following a number of changes, Welling increased the pressure, created some chances, and hit the post in the process. Eventually they got a consolation on 89 minutes, and had one of the earlier chances gone in, “Binfield” might have been muttered around the ground — but by then the game was won.

 

On to Saturday then, when we travel to Burgess Hill, who beat Three Bridges 3–2 last night…

Welling United are coming!

Tonight we welcome Welling United for the first competitive game that I can remember.  They travelled here in 2012 and 2013 for friendlies but cannot see where we played them outside of that.

 

Back then, Welling United got themselves into the Conference Premier before dropping back down to Conference South until their relegation in 2025.  With an opening day win, they look like a tough test for us tonight.

 

Meanwhile, you can pick your favourite Leatherhead players (well, up to three of them) and enter a side in the Tanners Fantasy League.  More details can be found here tannersfantasy.com.

 

Kick off at 7.45.  See you there!

Ramsgate 1 - 2 Tanners

Leatherhead got one of their longest trips of the season under their belts with a 2–1 win at Ramsgate yesterday, extending their unbeaten away run.

 

We started brightly and got our reward. Kofi picked up the ball on the left, cut inside and drilled a low shot into the bottom corner. It may have taken a slight deflection, but the keeper should have done better with his attempt to save it. 1–0.

 

Shortly afterwards, Ramsgate’s No. 18 lost his head and found the referee in a charitable mood. We were attacking down the right when he stormed in from behind, leading with a forearm into the back of the head and bringing our man down. On another day — or a little later in the game — it might easily have been a yellow, but he was instead let off with a talking-to. He was then involved in two more incidents, including one where the assistant appeared to spot something off the ball, and still only got another word in his ear. He was fortunate to still be on the pitch by the time he eventually picked up a yellow in the second half — at which point he finally piped down.

 

Meanwhile, Leatherhead had gone all England in the face of Argentinian-style pressure and were defending desperately for the last 30 minutes of the half — until we popped up with a second goal. A cross from the right sailed over everyone and found Murphy alone at the far post. His powerful volley beat the keeper, again at his near post, which perhaps offered a clue as to why he had No. 13 on his back.

 

It is a testament to last year’s squad that nine of them started this game. It is also a testament to the recruitment work that both of the new signings got on the scoresheet.

 

At 2–0, with only two minutes of added time left, Leatherhead relaxed. We relaxed a little too much and allowed Ramsgate to saunter down the left, put in a cross, and pick out an unmarked player to head home. 2–1, and in we went for half-time.

 

The second half was a completely different affair in terms of our confidence and control. Ramsgate rarely put us under pressure, while we dictated the game in search of a third goal. A few performances are worth calling out. The Lip’s Barrington came on for Breckon and completely changed our dynamic up front. Ramsgate’s No. 5 had Breckon well under control, but Barrington’s pace and power changed all of that and suddenly we had an outlet. He also hit the outside of the net when he again looked to beat the keeper at — no surprises — his near post. Hogan came on and had a good chance to get the third, but opted for a lob that sailed over. Lastly, Charlie Kennett — what a performance. He won his duels and was a constant thorn in the side of the hosts.

 

We held on for all three points and headed home strangely disappointed to be outside the play-off places on goals scored. On to Tuesday then, when we host Welling, who also won at home to Whitehawk.

Travelling Tanners

Since their revival, Walton & Hersham is a side we have not done well against so last week’s 2-1 win is the perfect way to end the pre-season and get into the season ahead.  This starts with the long trip to Ramsgate.

 

Ramsgate is a side we don’t play often.  There was the FA Sodding Trophy last season and then we have to go back to 2019 where we won 2-1.  Going back to 2013 we also opened the season and won 1-0 thanks to a Matt Smart goal.  Strangely I missed both of these away trips so the New Ground Klaxon sounds for me.

 

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

Walton & Hersham are coming

Walton & Hersham arrive at the Grove today in our final friendly of the season.  I hope we can get through it without any injuries before we make the long trip to Ramsgate next Saturday.

 

Both sides enjoyed title winning seasons last year.  Our guests won the Southern League Premier South to earn promotion to the National League South for the first time in its history.

 

Kick off at 3pm.  Good luck fellas!