Travelling Tanners

It won't be all dolphins and kiss-me-quick hats today for our trip to Margate, as we travel to Margate for the more routine matter of deciding who is more mid-table.

It is also a chance to reintroduce ourselves to ex-Leatherhead manager, Mike Sandmann.  He has been there, as joint manager, since May last year.

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

Tanners 2 - 1 Worthing

Fun fact: just under 15 years ago I held my stag-do in Worthing and I turned up thinking this would go much the same way; ending up with a spanking.  However, I was pleasantly surprised.

The first half did little to persuade me otherwise.  The crowd was unusually subdued and Leatherhead were little better.  There were some signs of promise but Worthing looked comfortable.  Their goal came from some Leatherhead pressure, where their 'keeper gathered the ball and launched a low powerful drive to their breakaway players.  A slip in defence and from our 'keeper allowed a tap in.  1-0.

The rest of the half became surreal, an innocuous coming together saw a Worthing player suffer whiplash type injuries and he lay prostate on the ground for 45 minutes until an ambulance arrived.  The last three minutes was then played out before the half time whistle was blown.

We needed a response and we got one.  Leatherhead cam out with a spring in their step and saw Worthing under pressure for much of the half.  Our opening goal came from a wickedly taken free kick which the 'keeper could only palm into the path of Olutade, who made no mistake.  Moments later we struck the bar from a similarly placed free kick.

Our day seemed to get better when their No 2 (a player with plenty to say to the ref) received his second yellow of the match and were down to ten men.  Our numerical advantage didn't seem to count for too much when Worthing won a penalty but Zak came to our rescue, pulling off a fine diving save.

A win was in the air, you could smell it, and when Shaun was able to swing a left foot on a lose ball in the box and direct it in off of the far post the three points were heading our way.

A fine win and a much needed boost before the long trip to Margate...

Worthing are coming!

Worthing travel up the A24 for this league fixture.  Our guests are flirting with the play-off places, but got the cold shoulder in the week when they were at the wrong end of a 4-1 beating at the hands of Dorking Wanderers.

Leatherhead's mixed form continues.  It is anyone's guess as to how we get on against a team looking to bounce back.

Kick off at 3pm.  See you there.

Corinthian-Casuals 2 - 1 Tanners

Leatherhead complete an unfortunate double, losing 2-1 home and away to Corinthian-Casuals.  For the first seven to eight minutes we were sensational and could have notched up a healthy 3-0 lead had we taken the clear chances that fell our way.  We put away our third chance when the 'keeper could only pat Shaun's powerful shot into the path of Wallace who placed the ball into the back of the net.

At 1-0 there was a certain feeling that the rest of the game would be academic - Leatherhead meant business - but that soon dissipated as we went on to play 80 minutes of mediocre football.

The hosts played their part, applying pressure for ten minutes where they looked very dangerous but we appeared to have weathered that storm when they struck.  They broke away from our corner and slotted it past Zak.

Fifteen minutes into the second half and Corinthian-Casuals took the lead.  A cross and a tap in doing the damage this time.

I am not saying this game was boring but my son informed me seven trains passed by during the game.  I wish he had alerted me to this sideshow earlier as it could have spared me watching Leatherhead surrender possession within midfield with alarming regularity.  I could have admired the latest South West Trains livery instead of the slumped shoulders of players that looked very much beaten.

So it is home to Worthing next Saturday.  No trains to watch but we are on a flight path, so passenger plane spotting could be on the cards...

Travelling Tanners

Lock up your referee assistants, we are going to Corinthian-Casuals.  We travel to Tolworth in search of a little bit of revenge.  In the home game, in truth, we were bullied a bit by a side pumped up on the injustice of a dodgy penalty.  They also took their chances where we fluffed our lines.

The table proves to be as dynamic as ever this year, with us returning to the comfort of mid table but a loss would send our hosts above us.

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

Tanners 2 - 1 Potters Bar

This game was quickly chalked up to be a "must win" as a loss would see our guests go above us while make the relegation zone loom large.  Therefore both clubs set out with the task of who could look more average.

Potters Bar certainly looked more average than us, by virtue of the fact we were looking distinctly lacking in most departments.  The warning signs were there before Potters Bar scored, in the end a simple through ball and a confident finish made it 0-1.

Thankfully Leatherhead upped their game.  Dan Gallagher bossed midfield while Travis looked lively.  It was through Travis we equalised; latching onto a calmly placed Jerry pass to beat the 'keeper near post.

Into the second half and Leatherhead looked a lot better and it wasn't long after the restart we made it 2-1.  Amoo, back to his lively self, sent in a perfect ball for Olutade to get his head onto.  Normally we would expect a diving header to fly over the bar but he found the roof of the net to score a goal to be proud of.

The ref', who had quite a good first half, then took centre stage,  Leatherhead would feel they could have had two penalties, certainly the second appeal looked more certain when the defender took out Sean first before even getting close to the ball. 

Try as he might, the ref' couldn't bring about the equaliser - despite some good pressure from the visitors - and the must win was won.

Corinthian Casuals next week, I hope it is a calmer affair than the last game...

Potters Bar are coming

After the disappointment of the Mole Valley derby, we entertain Potters Bar today and a real chance to get back to winning ways.

Potters Bar have enjoyed a similar journey in the league to us; sitting just one point behind us.

Kick off at 3pm, see you there.