Tanners 0 - 4 Westfield

Luke said he thought we needed a few games to get going, I didn't believe him thinking Tarpey alone would be enough but he was right.

Tarpey looked to get the season off to the perfect start when he pounced on a ball and prodded it beyond the reach of the 'keeper.  His guilty glance to the lino caused the flag to be raised but amatuer-VAR showed he was onside.

Westfield then decided to take the game to Leatherhead and we failed to respond.  They got the opening goal, scored by Bradley Walsh.  This caused some amusement for the home supporters... but the good humour was short-lived as the game went from bad to worse when they made it 2-0... then (onto the second half now) 3 and then 4...

Meanwhile, Leatherhead looked hot and tired and failed to register much more than one or two shots on target.

Leatherhead tick off another point of the compass on Tuesday with the visit of South Park... a side who also lost 4-0 today...

 

Westfield are coming!

Our new friends from Woking arrive at the Grove today as we get the season underway.  Some mixed results in friendlies BUT with some outstanding performances means we have shot to the top of the "fans' pick" for the title this season.  No pressure then.

Kick off at 3pm. See you there!

Burgess Hill are coming

Get your sun cream on, Burgess Hill are coming for the last pre-season of the season.

Hopefully all our players will come through unscathed as we look to be ready for this exciting season…

Kick off at 3pm.  See you there!

Tanners 3 - 0 Epsom & Ewell

Leatherhead notch up their second trophy of the pre-season with a comfortable 3-0 over our tenants.

While we are the higher ranked side, it was Epsom & Ewell who forced the first save.  A looping shot that seemed destined to lob our 'keeper but he did enough to tip it over.

From there on though it was largely Leatherhead who controlled the game.  At the centre of it is the player who is looking like the real deal as we approach the start of the season; Dave Tarpey.

On 9 minutes the ball fell to him roughly on the penalty spot and he clinically finished to set us on our way.  Little else happened in the first half but in the second there was more drama and tragedy.

Into the second half and Max went down hard under a challenge and had to be stretchered off.  We still await the results but it sounds serious...

That didn't phase Tarpey though who chased a ball, jinked around the 'keeper and calmly placed it into the back of the net.  Not long after he flicked a ball into the path of our No 3 (still no names, sorry!) who calmly finished low into the far corner.

Epsom & Ewell had already lost their 'keeper by the time the third went in and then the outfield player in gloves found himself facing a Tarpey penalty.  Word must have got around that I was now paying £10 a goal and he took pity on me by calmly planting it directly on the post.  Top lad.

No sooner had the penalty been missed the referee blew his whistles and the voice of Freddie Mercury hung in the air as we were now champions of another trophy... 

Back to ordinary friendlies on Saturday with the visit of Burgess Hill...

Ks are coming!

After the drama of last Saturday, we turn our attention to the visit of local rivals and ex-tenants; Kingstonian.

I won't be at the game, as I'm off to Leicester, but will looking out for the score and bar sales from afar.

Kick off at 3pm.  Good luck fellas! 

Travelling Tanners

A rather long trip for a pre-season friendly tonight with a trip to Hungerford Town.  This is a club I have wanted to tick off for a while but visitors from Brazil mean this trip will have to wait...

The Leatherhead & Dorking Advertiser Trophy winners will no doubt need some shuffling after the effort of the weekend but go in good spirits.

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

Tanners 3 - 2 Dorking Wanderers

Since the competition's rebirth it has been very much one way traffic, with Leatherhead only scoring one goal in the previous three meetings... but that was all about to change.

Change did not seem on the cards after 20 minutes when they notched up a 2-0 after having a goal ruled out for offside but when new-boy Tarpey met a lofted cross and guided it in off the far post the comeback was on.

The equalising goal I missed.  With a long queue in the bar and a freshly stocked "fanzone" bar full of various beer bottles, I relived my bar-working Uni days and plugged away there for half an hour.

I did make it out in time to see Leatherhead maintain some possession and then flick a ball through the middle to set up the winner.  Limbs.

Dorking decided to try and get something from the game but Leatherhead mastered the art of defending and held on to become the only team in Surrey.

The long trip to Hungerford is in store on Tuesday for the next friendly...

Dorking Wanderers are coming!

After a summer break The Lip is back in action along with the Tanners back at the Grove, hosting Dorking Wanderers.

Last season was not pretty to watch.  A jewel-encrusted Marc White led his team to a comfortable win against a side that lacked any kind of depth.  This year, Luke and Jermaine have built something more stable BUT still face the same problem of facing a side where the gap in leagues has now grown by two.

Kick off at 3pm.  See you there!