Tanners 0 - 1 Harrow Borough

Harrow arrived at The Grove knowing that if disaster struck they would be relegated so travelled in good numbers.  Even before the game started they were given the boost of some key absences in the Leatherhead ranks.  Man flu, a prize holiday and an assistant manager position left us three players short and in need of some reorganising.

With the visitors well prepared for the task at hand it was no surprise that they fought just that little bit harder and dominated most of the game.  The dominance rewarded by a player who takes his chances when presented.  MCS scoring the winning goal against us both home and away this season when he latched onto a loose ball in the box in the first half.

The second half was a little quiet.  Our best chance came via a penalty awarded when Vas’ run was blocked in the box.  A soft penalty that was struck with equal measure by Vas and was saved with ease.

With little at stake Leatherhead allowed some youth team players to get a run.  We did rally but no breakthrough came.  At the final whistle the visitors over celebrated somewhat given the collapse by Peacehaven made the result redundant.

Leatherhead can take a lot of pride of the season overall.  Especially given the revolving door we were faced with at the start of the season.  With a bit more stability we can hope for an exciting campaign next season…

 

Harrow Borough Are Coming

Harrow Borough come to the Grove in a bit of a spot.  Of the five teams in relegation trouble our guests look the safest but should all the other results go against them and we win they will be down.  Leatherhead can feel pretty good about themselves after an altogether successful season given it was our first year back in the top flight of the Ryman.  I hope we don’t take our foot off the pedal as we could finish as high as eighth above Billericay.  A-ring-a-ding-ding!

Meanwhile at the top Enfield Town go into the game not knowing how it will turn out for them after being hit with an FA charge of playing an illegible player through no real fault of their own.  Dulwich could still miss out but only in the place of Met Police…

Kick off at 3pm.  See you there!

 

 

Lewes 0 - 1 Tanners

On a chilly day which was warm at the same time, Leatherhead produced a fine away win against a Lewes side who are fighting to avoid the drop. A surprisingly large crowd of over 700 had come to fret over the fortunes of their local team who were briefly in the Conference National in 2008. 
A top 10 finish for Leatherhead will be achieved with a win at home to Harrow next week and we could move to as high as 8th. We could only have dreamed of this at the start of the season when the team had to be virtually rebuilt from scratch due to the departure of many of the side that gained promotion. 
Congratulations must be given to Richard Brady for being able to attract players of the quality of Vas, Kiernan, Stacy, and Adam Green (we also attracted Rook) and being able to blend them into a strong side more than capable of holding their own in this division. 
The season could become even more pleasurable should Dulwich fail to secure a play off spot in what has been a spectacular collapse in form. Maidstone are certain to become deserved champions unless they lose about 20-0 on Saturday. Met Police could still make the play-offs and will be hoping for a Labour election victory to ensure an increased playing budget next season.

(Report by DominicWJM)

Travelling Tanners

Leatherhead to travel to Lewes today in our last away game of the season. Lewis have a tense end to the season looking over their shoulder while Leatherhead have the luxury of shrugging theirs. We can only go up or down a couple of places.
Kick off at 3pm. Good luck fellas.

Tanners 1 - 0 Margate

A fine win but ever there was an end of season feel to a game it was this one.  Off the pitch, a large crowd watched in near silence as Leatherhead went about keeping third place Margate quiet on the pitch.

The winner came early in the game.  A Margate centre back tried to shepherd the ball out for a goal kick but with Vas in chase you need to be careful.  The defender tried to be clever but Vas got the better of him, stole the ball and advanced on goal.  The centre back again tried to be clever and nudge Vas off the ball but in doing so stuck out a leg… the invitation to be tripped by it was gratefully received and the penalty given.  Vas struck his penalty a little too close to the ‘keeper for my liking but as he was diving the wrong way it did not matter.  1-0.

Margate were then lucky to have 11 men on the pitch when Hughes-Mason broke down the middle of the pitch.  A cute cut inside would have seen him clear on goal but the centre back cynically pulled him down.  Only a yellow awarded.

Second half was largely tame but assured.  Not that the game was devoid of entertainment.  There were some good chances, some “oooohs”, some “ahhhhs” and a rousing cheer for Richard Brady and the team for the win that, on balance, they deserved. 

Lewes away Saturday…

 

Margate are coming

Margate away was supposed to be a wonderful affair.  A big crowd and a new ground in the bag all I needed was a good game.  It failed to deliver with the home side keeping us at bay with ease and in the second half the crowd was so quiet a bird in the tree behind us was making more noise.

Now they come to the Grove a certainty for the play-offs and pretty much nailed on to finish third.

Kick off at 3pm.  See you there.

 

VCD 2 - 0 Tanners

A complete ruddy shambles of an away game for Leatherhead as we were outplayed by a side scrapping for Ryman Premier survival.

The damage was done in the second half.  A spilled save was tapped in shortly after the restart and in the death a complete mix up resulting from a back pass allowed for a second.

So VCD complete the double over us to complete a successful Easter weekend taking the shine off of our fine 1-0 win over Leiston a little…  Margate arrive Saturday to further test us…

Travelling Tanners

After Phil Page's opening goal to notch up a double over promotion chasing Leiston we now head on the road to VCD.
Bury Town are already relegated but VCD will be keen to add some points to their relegation fight…
Good luck fellas...

Easter weekend

The yin and yang of football this weekend. On Saturday we host seventh placed Leiston. Then on Monday we make the travel to 2nd bottom VCD.
Both kick offs at 3pm. Good luck fellas.