Tanners 0 - 1 Staines Town

A second messiah arrived at Fetcham Grove on Wednesday night but it was not enough to avoid a home defeat to a very well organised Staines Town.

Tom Bradbrook may have lost his clippers but hopefully not his cutting edge as his hard man crew cut has been replaced by barely recognisable foppish hair. I believe this was his first game of the season after un-retiring and so it will take him a few games to regain his sharpness.

This game also proved a trial for Jimmy as Staines had no problem evicting most of our balls into the box. In the first half Bradders got onto the end of a couple of crosses but his powerful headers went wide and Sole sent a free kick just wide. It was a competitive first half and ended with honours fairly even.

Straight after the restart a Staines player ran through our defence and fired into the corner. We remained lively but created few clear cut chances and Staines fairly comfortably saw out the 2nd half for a 1-0 win.

It's on to Sudbury on Saturday and the scene of the famous Dave Stevens hand ball that lead to an appearance in the FA Cup 1st round proper. The residents along the A12 are hoping that their gardens won't be watered this time.

Staines Town are coming

For Jimmy to be taken seriously for the England job he will have to do at least two things. Firstly, avoid any meetings with any Far / Middle East and businessmen; and then get his first win tonight.

How old friends Staines Town come tonight and we can hope for more of the same attacking football showed in the first half and perhaps less for fading in the second.

Kickoff at 7:45. Good luck, from Romania.

Tanners 1 - 1 Needham Market

It was another case of what could have been at The Grove as we let a slender lead slip again.  Not quite in the same agonising fashion as midweek but it must still be disappointing to the new manager.

The first half went rather well for Leatherhead.  The new players have certainly made a difference and for the first time the season we looked confident with players demanding the ball, notably Rash Kamara who was beating players throughout the game.

I also wonder if Evander Lopes was the U21 player Jimmy “liked the look of” as his introduction to the first team was also a highlight,  It was from his drive into the box that we won the penalty; coolly dispatched but Sole.

The first half ended with Leatherhead fans rightly optimistic.  We were playing good football from the back and perhaps we could hope for more goals in the second half…

These goals didn’t come for Leatherhead.  Sole was suddenly playing a bit deeper and Tomi, who had worked so hard at closing down defenders in the first half, lost his way.  Ultimately that meant we had no real credible goal scoring threat.

Needham then sent on two pairs of fresh legs and the pressure was on resulting in an inevitable equaliser.  The ball powered home for within the box.

Leatherhead did rally to bring some excitement into the final 5-10 minutes but Needham were able to keep us at bay and take a point.

Can we go two points better on Wednesday with the visit of Staines Town..?

 

Needham Market are coming

Let’s have it right.  Jimmy Bullard takes charge of his first league home game after the disappointment of the midweek last minute equaliser.

Needham Market are a side we failed to deal with last year when they were relatively poor in the league.  My advice would have been to look after the big lad upfront but there must be more to them this season as they sit in the play-off places.  A tough game to start with in front of what could be a big crowd.

The club have responded with happy hours and a chance to meet the man himself after the game.  I myself am holding out for an invitation to go fishing with him…

Kick off at 3pm.  See you there!

Folkestone 1 - 1 Tanners

Ex-Tanner Draycott popped up with a last minute equaliser to spoil the perfect start for Jimmy Bullard. 

Leatherhead, who have been thoroughly outclassed away from home so far this season, gave a good account for themselves.  Striking the woodwork early on and their ‘keeper was certainly the busier.  That said we could not take advantage of our chances and we went into half time 0-0.

Leatherhead again started well and Ben Francis scored on his debut.  If his arrival had anything to do with the new manager you could imagine there would have been a smile from ear to ear when that goal went in.

Any smile that was there was soon wiped off as Ian Draycott pounced in the last minute and took advantage of a nervous Leatherhead.  Perhaps what was more sickening was their ‘keeper had been forced into two good saves moments earlier.

Still.  Our first point away and the chance to take on Needham Market at The Grove presents itself on Saturday…

 

Travelling Tanners

What a surreal week it has been with the appointment of Jimmy Bullard and all the media attention, the likes of which we have not seen since we qualified for the first round proper of the FA Cup.

Now there is work to do with the trip to Folkestone, a midweek trip that would have previously meant a handful of supporters braving the M25 but I can see that increasing considerably.  Our hosts have doubled our tally of points for the season with 10 points.  Oh to avoid defeat for the first time on the road.

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

 

Dorking Wanderers are coming

Set your alarms as Marc White is having his interview for the manager position at 10.30 tomorrow, it's just £4 to watch.
We welcome Dorking Wanderers in this hastily arranged fixture as we both suffered FA Cup defeats.

What a night

It has been a busy night at Fetcham Grove.  First of all we were reminded that we host Walton Casuals tomorrow in the League Cup (kick off at 7.45), and then we are informed of a Sandmann’s departure.

The timing is strange as we had just brought in a few players but results and second half performances were simply not going his way.  I am sure we all wish him well.

 

Billericay 4 - 2 Tanners

Leatherhead make it five away losses from five attempts following yet another second half disaster.  Game after game I find myself writing the same bloody thing; good first half but things go wrong from the off in the second.

Leatherhead did take the lead.  Hughes-Mason finding the net at last after we won the ball and broke away.  Leatherhead couldn’t quite see the half out and conceded a penalty to make it 1-1 at half time.

To be fair Leatherhead did put up a bit of a fight in the second half but failed to adjust to a double substitution and so conceded two quick goals.  Leatherhead looked to maybe get at least a point on the road when a red card was shown for deliberate handball on the line.  With the penalty scored it was now 3-2 and we had our tails up.

This one man advantage did not actually materialize into any real chances and insult was added to injury when the 10 men of Billericay did what we should have done and score to make it 4-2.

Looks like we have the week off… there are rounds in the FA Cup beyond the First Qualifying apparently…

Travelling Tanners

A bit of a six pointer it seems as we travel to Billericay tomorrow in the league.  Leatherhead are looking to get any kind of joy away from home.  Four trips and we have three league defeats and the FA Cup loss of last week.

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

The Longest Day

Hythe Town 1 – 0 Tanners

I had a long time to contemplate the point of going to this game.  My wife often asks me “we do you bother?” and normally I have the answer, but that question would have sent my eyes staring firmly down at my nervously shuffling feet.  Defeat was inevitable as the journey was long.  To be fair the effort was there, unlike FA Cup ties over the last three years.  The players genuinely looked like they cared but simply were not good enough to beat a confident team with form on their side.

The first half was summarised as “it could have been worse”.  Those who braved the average journey time of three hours and remember South Park last year were at least rewarded with some attempts on goal.  While Hythe gave us the initial scare we probably edged the opening 45 minutes.  Hughes-Mason headed onto the post from a tight angle and Sole found the back of the net after the ‘keeper had spilled it but it was ruled out for offside.

Second half and it must have another Sandman halftime talk performed as a lullaby as there was only one team likely to win this game.  Hythe certainly overran us in midfield and poor Hughes-Mason is pushed so far out on the wing in an unnatural position he may as well run the bar.  Tomi was having a good game though, using his power to hold up the ball and make runs into the box.  There was more than a shout for a penalty when Tomi won the ball outside the box, beat a defender and then was brought down in the box.  The ref blew for a foul but gave it as a free kick outside the box, perhaps seeing the smallest of fouls he had played on from…

Leatherhead did have their moments, in fact it was from a piece of rare Leatherhead pressure that Hythe scored.  Breaking away from a corner and slotting the ball under our ‘keeper.  Leatherhead did try and respond.  A couple of substitutions allowed Mahal to come forward and in the dying moments Tomi dragged a shot agonizingly wide.  The last five minutes was probably our best spell in the game but it was too little, too late.  The two and a half hour drive home did at least give us time to contemplate what went wrong of which there was much.

Travelling Tanners

Well.  What should be an exciting weekend, with the FA Cup clash against Hythe, has suddenly become a little bit disappointing.  Firstly, it is the FA Cup and Leatherhead haven’t put up much of a fight in this competition in recent years.  Secondly, the route is going to need some smart navigation as the M20 is closed for the whole weekend.

Putting those two elephants in the room aside it should be a good clash.  Hythe are in the league below but are going well; we are in the league above and while struggling we just got our first win.  Could this even be a new ground?  It will be for me… if I ever get there…

Directions can be found here.  Kick off that 3pm.  See you there (I hope)!

 

Tanners 3 - 0 Merstham

'o sole, o' sole milo, sta nfronte a te

Finally the sun was upon Leatherhead yesterday and particularly upon the face of Sole who put in a match winning performance to score 2 goals to secure our first win of the season.

Merstham have had a similarly difficult start to the season and they had nothing to crow about after this one which will have been hard to swallow for Hayden Bird who was left raven mad after two swift early goals left him with plenty to grouse about. Sole had showed his free kick potential in earlier games and on just 4 minutes he smashed one into the net off the underside of the bar.

Merstham couldn't handle Jerry at all in the box from set pieces, and on 14 minutes the referee blew for a fowl after a Merstham defender pulled Jerry off in the box. Sole strode up confidently and converted the penalty on 14 minutes to further ruffle Merstham feathers.

Merstham had plenty of possession and lots of energy but rarely created goal scoring opportunities. On 44 minutes it was Jerry's tern to score when swooped on a corner to send us into the break 3-0 up.

In the 2nd half we should have had a 2nd penalty when a defender handled the ball to prevent a goal-bound shot but the referee followed the unwritten rule of only one penalty per side per match. The win moves us out of the bottom 4 and gives us a much needed boost for the trip to Hythe and the chance of FA Cup glory.

 

Harrow 3 - 1 Tanners

A Leatherhead capitulation in the second half made way for yet another defeat on the road after having the better of the first half.

Harrow should have opened the scoring perhaps.  A cross was met in front of goal with a firmly placed headed but it went narrowly over.  Leatherhead were in an attacking mood with Calum, Sole and Tomi looking the brightest.  It was through those three that the opening goal was scored.  A Calum cross, Sole flick on and Tomi on hand to strike it into the back of the net.  1-0 and all was well with the world.

Well apart from the ref.  Booking our player for taking too long to take a throw in while their ‘keeper could tell his player to leave it in the corner and take a slow goal kick.  We were booked for jumping in front of a ‘keeper kicking it out of his area yet an elbow to the head warranted only a talking to.

Second half and I don’t know what Sandman said to them but I can only imagine it was said with Sade playing softly in the background.  Right from the off Harrow wanted it more and we had no answers.  First minute of the second half a cross was put away.

Leatherhead appeared to believe it was just a formality and showed no real sense of urgency.  Calum nearly proved that thinking right when he slid in to tap in but went all Paul Gascoigne and the ball rolled just beyond him.  Shortly after their striker was through and powerfully struck in his second.

What is so frustrating is seeing Ryan Mahal, last year’s player of the season, stuck at right back when he was such an attacking threat.  Especially when you have Hughes-Mason being asked to do a job out on the left that he is clearly not enjoying.  Yet while we were impotent down the wings we did very little to change it, waiting far too long to change what was so bleeding obvious.

So we made a change which, to be fair to Sandman, made very little difference so I can imagine that is why we waited so long.  To add insult to injury the centre back and ‘keeper decided not to talk to each other but mime the desire for a hopeful ball down the middle.  As a result no one collected except for the hat trick hero who walked it into an open net.

A complete shambles watched by only a handful of travelling supporters.  On to Merstham on Monday…

 

Travelling Tanners

Leatherhead go into tomorrow’s game looking for their first win.  Unlucky at home and outclassed away has been the early tone of the season.

Harrow Borough hasn’t been a happy hunting ground for us, not helped by MCS who always seems to score against us, but they are not far away from us in terms of points.  A win could make all the difference.

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

 

Tanners 1 - 1 Worthing

For the second home game Leatherhead have thrown away a 1-0 goal lead to pass up a chance to grab their first win.  It lacked the same convincing dominance that we demonstrated over Grays but we had headed ourselves in front and conspired to throw it away.

The first half started brightly for Leatherhead.  Sole having the best of the chances but never really troubled the ‘keeper.  Worthing grew into the game and ended the half looking the keener.

Second half and Leatherhead got their goal.  A corner swung in and the ‘keeper seemed to get boxed in with Lloyd Harrington at hand to head in off of the bar.  Worthing seemed to hurry up as up until that point in the second half they appeared to settle for the draw.

Then the moment that disappointed me the most.  A 50 50 ball down the right wing saw Worthing’s winger confronted with an oncoming Semakula.  If ever you wanted a player to be in that position it would be your defensive midfielder.  Inexplicably though he backed out, much to the surprise of the winger who kept the ball in play; swung in a cross; and from the resulting play the ball was struck in off of the post.

Worthing then slowed up the play and we failed to get the winning goal, despite some good free kick taking from Sole.

So it is a trip to Harrow Saturday and a chance to catch up with our old mate MCS…

 

Worthing are coming

Tonight sees our old friends Worthing come to the Grove after their sabbatical in the lower league comes to an end. They have started well: we haven't started well.

Kick off at 7.45. See you there.

Canvey 3 - 0 Tanners

Leatherhead were blown away at the weekend with a disastrous trip to Canvey Island.  The hosts won the toss and with gale force winds blowing towards one goal they opted shoot with the wind to their back and place Leatherhead under early pressure.  That early pressure told after just 8 minutes when we conceded a penalty.  Martin Tuohy stepping up to put away the spot kick. 

Tuohy got his second as the half was drawing to a close to create the cushion they were looking for in anticipation for Leatherhead’s turn to use the wind…

Leatherhead, with the wind forcing Canvey deep into their own half, had the lion share of the possession but did not quite have the quality to create good chances.  The host’s ‘keeper perhaps making two or three saves.  To add insult to injury Canvey proved it is possible to score upwind and made it 3-0, Tuohy getting his hat trick.

Not a great day but time to focus on the surprise league leaders.  Worthing are coming Wednesday!

Travelling Tanners

Two sides go into Saturday's game like looking for their first win, with Canvey Island just one goal better on goal difference.

We played a tough side midweek, let's hope to bounce back with our first win.

Kick off at 3pm. Good luck fellas.

Havant & Waterlooville 3 - 1 Tanners

This game puts the draw against Grays into perspective a little as we looked less creative against a side that are favourites to win the league.  The endeavour we saw down the wings were replaced with hopeful balls over the top that were largely gathered to safety.

The home side did not need to wait long for their goal.  A ball was lofted to the far post and our right back completely lost his man to allow a free header.  Leatherhead were not without their chances though.  New signing Sole tested the ‘keeper and had Tomi been more aware he may have latched onto to a corner moments later.

Second half and the hosts controlled the game with us barely having a chance but for the last 10 minutes where the damage was done.  Their second goal coming from a corner and headed into the back of the net.

The third goal showed the gap between the two sides.  In the first half Paul Semakula was through on goal and his shot from the edge of the box was weak and hit towards the near post.  Havant & Waterlooville brought on an ex-Pompey player who in a similar position hit a powerful shot that flew in off of the far post.

Leatherhead did rally with only pride to play for and Calum Davies made enough room to fire home a consolation goal.  Perhaps he should have been put on sooner rather than some senior players…

On to Canvey Island where you can book your coach travel by looking for the details on the message board.