Thatcham are coming

A long awaited return to league action after a few weeks away due to FA competitions. Hurray.

Thatcham sit in the bottom half of the table having won half their league games.

Kick off at 3pm. See you there!

Tanners 0 - 1 Chipstead

The league cup won't be sitting on Hayden's mantlepiece this summer, as we fell short against Chispstead on Tuesday night.

It could have been different had we taken our chances in the opening 20 to 30 minutes where the ball rarely left the Chisptead half.  As the half came to a close the game became more even and we hoped for a revival in the second half.

That revival didn't come and on about 60 minutes I tweeted that penalties looked on and moments later Chipstead scored.  The goal came from a corner after we had just pulled off an amazing save.  We failed to deal with the cross and our keeper was well beaten.

"I'm a bloody genius!", I thought as this was pretty much exactly what happened on Saturday and we went on to win 3-1... but I turned out to be a frustrated genius as we failed to score, largely down to some heroics of a double save to keep us out.

Seven minutes of extra time did not bring the equalising goal, so the league and the Surrey Senior Cup remain the focus for the year...

Chipstead are coming!

Velocity 2nd Round action tonight, as we play Chipstead tonight.  I am sure Hayden would love to get stuck back into the league, but this cup gives us an opportunity to have another run.

It won't be easy though.  Chipstead lie in 7th place and joint second in terms of scoring.

Kick off at 7.45.  See you there!

Southall 1 - 3 Tanners

Tanners secured their place in the draw for the Third Qualifying round in the FA Sodding trophy after a second half performance that proved too much for the 10 men of Southall.

Leatherhead looked the brighter side in the opening ten minutes with two clear chances squandered in quick succession.  Soon after our hosts missed an fre header and the game swung in their favour.

Penalties looked a certainty when, on 40 minutes, a Southall player went in hard with studs shown and was shown a red.

I was expecting a repeat of the attritional first half in the second but Southall slotted home  a fine  strike to make it 0-1.

This gave Leatherhead a greater sense of urgency as we pressed for the equaliser.  It looked like we had it when the ball fell to one of our players with only two players on the line to beat but somehow one of them managed to block the powerful shot.

Our equaliser came from a penalty.  A Southall player pulled back one of our players as he was about to shoot and the ref pointed to the spot.  The pressure didn't show as Gus Sow chipped the spot kick in off the bar.

Then Leatherhead went on to win comfortably with a short corner routine providing Splatt with a clear strike on goal on about the penalty spot.  Then Robinson turned provider to Hector who finished clinically from a tight angle.

The frustration showed for the hosts as their manager was sent off when he threw his pen onto the pitch.  Perhaps a harsh decision from the ref,as the manager was probably just showing his players how to lose their marker...

Onto to the third qualifying round and the inevitable disappointment of playing Wingate & Finchley (or similar) away...

Travelling Tanners

I should really appreciate this competition more, especially when there is £2,250 up for grabs, but for some reason I can't get excited about it.  However, the New Ground Klaxon is sounding and it provides a chance to get to Southall ahead of the April league fixture.  So I'm in.

Today we travel to Southall (well, Burnham) for the second qualifying round fixture in the FA Sodding Trophy.  Our hosts sit 15th in the league while we have enjoyed a better start to the season and are 2nd.

Kick off at 3pm.  Directions can be found here.  See you - still can't believe I am saying this - there!

Ascot United 0 - 1 Tanners

Leatherhead go top thanks to an early goal scored by the in-form Trevan Robinson.

As early as two minutes we opened the scoring; Trevan took the ball while clear on goal, nicely dribbled past the keeper and slotted the ball into the open net.  No further goals came, despite a free flowing performance, but it was enough to take home all three points.

Due to the FA Cup exit,a glaring hole now appears in our fixture list... which will now be filled by taking my son to Uni... how did that happen so fast!?

Travelling Tanners

After the resounding Trophy win - a scoreline so big I couldn't make up a report given I wasn't there - tonight we travel to Ascot United for this league fixture.

For many the New Ground Klaxon will sound, although not for me as I went there for the hell of it in 2019.  If a new ground wasn't incentive enough, a win sends us top!

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

Travelling Tanners

A glorious day to travel to the Kent countryside, for today's FA Trophy game.  A full coach is making the trip, but I am not on account it is the FA Sodding Trophy.

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

Horsham 2 - 1 Tanners

No FA Cup upset for Leatherhead, despite going toe for toe with our Isthmian Premier hosts over two games.

Leatherhead, again, started brightly and had the first chance to score.  Trevan was put through for a one on one with the 'keeper but put his effort wide.  

Horsham hadn't got a troubling shot on target for 100 minutes of football but when they did, of course, in it went.  It came from a run that appeared to be going nowhere until the player placed a seemingly underhit shot perfectly into the bottom corner.

Watching games at Horsham in the first half, like other grounds where the bar is behind one goal, means sharing it with some local fans.  One supporter bellowed out instructions with the belief he was player manager, captain and; judging by the speed he ran to the bar when we equalised; fitness coach.

Our equaliser was spectacular.  On 30 minutes Dan Hector, who was well marshalled all game, felt he was clipped in the box and went down but the ref refused to see a penalty.  Trevan picked up the loose ball, beat a couple of players and unleashed a curling shot that gave their 'keeper no chance.  1-1.

The second half saw Leatherhead fade away as the game went on.  For the first 15 minutes, the travelling fans could enjoy their 'keeper kicking the ball out for a throw-in for nearly every attempt.  Soon, the boot was on the other foot as tired Leatherhead legs made a string of mistakes as the pressure grew.

The winner came from a run down the middle on 82 minutes.  The shot was again well placed but at a speed that led many supporters to question why a save could not be made.

With 7 minutes of extra time we thought we had conjured up an equaliser, when a freekick was headed back across goal but the attempt to chest it down was too strong and it bounced harmlessly towards goal.

Not to be but on to the Trophy where we play Herne Bay...

Travelling Tanners

A big task lies ahead tonight in this FA Cup replay.  After a close game we go to Horsham, where their artificial pitch only adds to their home advantage.  

That said, one of my favourite performances of our last Isthmian Premiership season was at their place where we held  on with 10 men to win, 1-0.

Kick off at 7.45.  Directions can be found here.  See you there!

Tanners 0 - 0 Horsham

Leatherhead played out a credible 0-0 draw against their Isthmian Premier opponents and probably had the better chances, albeit the resulting shots were largely scuffed or snatched.

For the first five minute, Horsham looked by far the better team but that all changed and for the next five it was Leatherhead who were very much on top.  It was as if the visitors had not done their homework and rocked up thinking it would be easy.  They clearly looked rattled as they tried to survive the onslaught.

Survive it they did and apart from another period of pressure from Leatherhead towards the end, the game was fairly even.

The ref, perhaps over familiar with the players from the higher division, appeared to favour our guests.  Their 'keeper could get a freekick by taking a small tumble and we were booked twice while their players merely got a talking to.

Two penalty shouts being waved away in quick succession were the icing on a frustrating cake.

Off to the replay then where I expect our hosts to have swotted up a bit better...

Horsham are coming!

Today we welcome our old friends, Horsham, to The Grove for this FA Cup fixture.  Our guests will swagger in with all of the confidence of an Isthmian Premier League side but we have our own spring in our step after being unbeaten so far.

Leatherhead have added two players to their ranks, ready for today.  Let's hope they are ready to slot into the side today.

Kick off at 3pm.  See you there!