Uxbridge are coming!

I couldn't make Saturday's game, away at Badshot Lea, as I was taking my daughter to an "experience day" at Winchester Uni.  While this made me feel my age, an early goal helped keep the grey hairs at bay as we went on to win 4-0.

 

Tonight, will be a very different challenge as third place Uxbridge come to The Grove.  They come eighth in the form league, having lost 4-2 to Rayners Lane at the weekend.

 

Kick-off at 7.45pm.  See you there!

Travelling Tanners

Non League Day brings a trip to bottom-of-the-table, Badshot Lea. Looking at the other fixtures, this could be quite the opportunity to put even more pressure on fifth spot… or a massive banana skin…

Kick off at 3pm. Good luck fellas!

Hanworth Villa 0 - 1 Tanners

Ian Selley did his homework for this game and was awarded a distinction by teacher as Leatherhead smashed and grabbed 3 points at the division's in form team.

Villa had won 6 of their last 7 league games using various housery tactics such as banning supporters from behind one of the goals for no apparent reason, and removing all grass from the playing surface such as to resemble a test match wicket at Faisalabad.

With only 9 games left and 8 points behind the hosts this was a must win, but the gaffer set out with a seemingly must not lose 5-5-0 formation. This restricted both sides to very few chances with a lot of head tennis and hoofing. 

There were no health scares in the first half and thankfully we were still all clear at half time. The most entertaining moment coming when Martin Lewis, on TV in the club house, advised everyone on the best savings rates. Monument Bank 4.75% per annum max 3 withdrawals per annum.

In the second half, the referee continued to look like he had been called up from the local Sunday league with a series of incorrect decisions. Just as it looked like no one would score if we played all night, Ian Selley pulled a rabbit out of the hat and changed formation with the introduction of Ruben with 15 minutes remaining.

Suddenly we were all over Hanworth and had 3 good chances but it was the old warhorse "Pearcy" who leapt like a salmon at the far post on 93 minutes. Absolute. Limbs. Even Mick sounded upbeat during the post match interview.

Our next match is against the bottom side whilst Hanworth and Hartley both have tough fixtures. 8 games left 5 points adrift. Dare we dream…………

Travelling Tanners!

A trip to Feltham awaits tonight, for what is surely a drink at the Last Chance Saloon. For a second we were within four points, then you blink and the table looks completely different.

Our hosts, Hanworth Villa, are sitting three points better off than they were on 89 minutes, at the weekend. Two late goals push them up into the coveted last play-off place.

Kick off at 7.45. Good luck fellas!

Tanners 1 - 0 Sutton Common Rovers

A well worn out cliché would be to call this a game of two halves.  If you're a Leatherhead supporter, you may be forgiven fall calling it a game of just one as the action of the first half all but evaporated in the second.

 

From the off, we were looking like we were in a scoring mood.  Our midfielders were finding space and time on the ball, giving our guests plenty to think about.  We scored early, but the ref saw a little too much physicality from Cameron Black and gave a foul.

 

Our goal was a thing of beauty.  Ruben put through Akinnibi who ran on with only the 'keeper in front of him.  How many times would we have seen a Leatherhead player panic and hit it straight at the 'keeper?  Not Akinnibi, who calmly pushed the ball past the shot stopper and slotted it into the back of the net.

 

Leatherhead supporters now settled in for a goalfest as surely the floodgates will open now.  This was a gross miscalculation and the rest of the game, the second half in particular, became very hard to watch.

 

I cannot stress enough how bad the second half was.  Absolutely resolute in defence, which is to be applauded, but I was pleased it was all over.  Meanwhile Hanworth Villa spoilt our party with two goals in the 90^thand 95^th minute to win and stretch the play-off places to eight points…  that will come to a head when we play them on Tuesday…

Sutton Common Rovers are coming!

Today we face Sutton Common Rovers on a sodding cold Saturday, as we look to keep pressure on the play-off places.

Luke Tuff's Ashford couldn't repeat their heroics of beating RVP against Hayes & Yeading, so the gap is now 9 point with 10 games to go.

Kick off at 3pm. See you there!

Redhill 0 - 0 Tanners (Tanners win 5-3 on penalties)

History told me that this game had all the elements to be a painful watch.  A cup game, against lower-league opposition, on cold night and away… and I was right.  Not even the last minute discovery that the New Ground Klaxon was sounding for me could numb the sense of impending doom I felt.

 

The mood was raised on the arrival of a Fish and Chip van, but the act of stuffing my face and subsequently having to wash it meant I missed the only real incident of the game.  The Redhill 'keeper dived to smooth a ball and Ty got their late and stamped on the shot stopper.  Straight red.  60 minutes of even harder to watch football now on the cards.

 

Leatherhead simply couldn't do anything right.  Pump it long and they won the header and back it came.  Attempt to pass it around on the ground, and the bobbly pitch also played straight into their hands.  We were pegged back and had to clear off the line on a couple of occasions.

 

Last ten minutes we did get some form of foothold in the game and apply some pressure but in all honesty, we were relieved to get to penalties.  For once we held our nerve and made all of our attempts count, while Redhill missed their fourth, to send us into the semi-final.

 

Now onto Saturday where we return our focus on the league and the visit of Sutton Common Rovers…