Dartford 2 - 0 Tanners

Looking at the league results yesterday, there is no shame in going out of the FA Cup in the second qualifying round, as many of our cohorts were in action. Dartford was always going to be a tough challenge where we needed to avoid conceding a goal, take our chances, and get a bit of luck; sadly, none of those things happened.

 

Leatherhead started the game well and did not look out of place against their Isthmian Premier opposition. Perhaps this caught our hosts off guard, as we carved out a couple of good chances—one going just wide from the right and another attack down the left where our player was brought down in the box. It was a clear penalty, but the referee opted to make up rules such as "inviting a tackle" to avoid making a tough decision in the opening minutes.

 

Dartford then scored with their first attack. A shot bounced through the box, seemingly straight at Wheeler, but caught him off guard, and he could only parry the ball down into the path of their No. 7, who made no mistake from four yards.

 

Leatherhead fizzed another shot just wide and blasted one well over before Dartford sealed the half and the game. A simple attack down the right-hand side and a shot across the goal found the side netting, making it 2-0. Suddenly, it looked like our chances had vanished as quickly as the two to three hundred supporters who had been watching Dartford in the league so far this seaon.

 

They had two clear chances and scored two goals. We had the same opportunities, with a penalty waved away, yet had nothing to show for it. That is the difference we need to address. When we were gifted a clear shot on goal and could only fire the ball directly at the 'keeper, the gristly burger I was attempting to eat started to become harder to swallow.

 

The Leatherhead supporters shouted for a penalty, but the ball had invited the defender to handle it—probably.

 

Tired legs saw out the remaining time, having to play midweek away at Guernsey, with not much time to recover before we play in the Velocity Cup before heading back to Sevenoaks for the FA Sodding Trophy.

Travelling Tanners

Leatherhead travel to Dartford today, in the second qualifying round of the FA Cup.

My last visit there could have gone better. We were doing well until Joe Sheerin got sent off and then the bouncers wouldn't let us drink in the bar after the game. I hope our players and their hospitality behave better.

Kick off at 3pm. See you there!

Travelling Tanners

Guernsey. On a Wednesday.

Kick off at 7.45. Good luck fellas!

Hayes & Yeading 0 - 1 Tanners

Leatherhead secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Hayes & Yeading United in the FA Sodding Trophy, advancing to the Second Qualifying Round at the Skyex Community Stadium. 

The match was largely uneventful until Deondre Date's decisive goal in the 67th minute, which came after a well-timed pass from Matt Everitt. 

Hayes & Yeading had opportunities to take the lead earlier in the match, notably a smart save by Leatherhead's goalkeeper Sonny Wheeler.

Our reward?  Another away tie at Sevenoaks.

Travelling Tanners

It's the FA Sodding Trophy today and an away trip to Hayes & Yeading. It's also a halfhearted New Ground Klaxon as we face them in the league in a couple of months.

Kick off at 3pm. Good luck fellas!

Tanners 1 - 0 Dulwich Hamlet

Oh FA Cup, how can I stay mad at you?  After Monday'sdraw had handed us another Isthmian Premier side and our fourth away tie over two FA competitions, I was a bit down on the competition but last night's performance rekindled that excitement (in the FA Cup that is, not the FA sodding Trophy; that can die in the sea).

 

Often you only get one chance to beat higher-placed oppositions, and on the 84^th minute of the first game it could have been the best opportunity we had but Leatherhead came out believing that they could go one step further.  The opening 10 minutes had our Isthmian Premier guests pinned in their half as we pressed for and opening goal and won a series of corners.  One opening exchange saw us have four shots on goal that couldn't find a way through the crowded area.

 

The game then went through passages of play where Dulwich started to dominate, then into a stalemate and then with us back on top; all without either side really carving out any clear chance.

 

The game ebbed and flowed until we got to the 84^thminute, again, and Leatherhead shot from distance into a crowded area.  As the video shows, the player leans into the shot and flicks out his elbow as the ball made contact; it was harsh and a referee who didn't want to have to wave away angry players at the full time whistle would have not given it but he obviously saw enough movement to point to the spot.

 

The Dulwich 'keeper now excelled himself at tomfoolery as rather than prepare to save the penalty decided to leave his area, take his gloves off, attempt to put his gloves back on, take them off again when he saw the referee talking to another player, put them back on again when instructed, start walking back into the area, leave the area to have chat and a cuddle with a Dulwich player, walk back in to the area and finally walk past his goal and take a drink from his bottle.  Cheating of the highest order and the referee agreed with me as he issued a yellow card.

 

Perhaps if the 'keeper had spent more time thinking about saving the penalty he would have made a better job of it, as he dived the wrong way and we went 1-0 up.  Now we needed to survive the remaining time, which included an additional six minutes.

 

Naturally Dulwich stepped up the pressure (and their 'keeper did not find the need to take his gloves off) and while they did carve out a close-range chance, which they blasted over, Leatherhead looked comfortable and saw out the time to send us through to the away (where else?) tie against Dartford.

 

Onto Saturday and the FA crapping Trophy…

Dulwich Hamlet are coming

Leatherhead and Dulwich will both feel a mixture of relief and disappointment at having this replay. Dulwich would have probably hoped to have this done and dusted against a side a league below them but faced a 2-1 score line in the 84th minute.

The winner will have the away trip to high-flying Dartford to look forward to!

Kick off at 7.45. See you there!

Dulwich Hamlet 2 - 2 Tanners

The Tanners have forced a, perhaps unlikely replay, in the FA Cup against their Isthmian Premier rivals, Dulwich Hamlet, following an exciting 2-2 draw at Champion Hill Stadium.

Dulwich Hamlet controlled much of the first half, but their dominance was undermined by missed opportunities, including penalty miss that was sent well wide, leaving them with only a single goal lead at the break.

In the second half, the Tanners found their rhythm. Seb Karczewski scored twice, propelling the visitors into an unexpected lead and putting them on the brink of a notable cup upset.

However, Dulwich Hamlet equalised late in the game with a superb strike from Anthony Jeffrey, setting up a replay at Fetcham Grove on Tuesday…