Tanners 1 - 0 Hythe

One of the friendliest cup games you could ever wish to see. The referee didn't really need to bring his whistle to this one, as we tried to quietly win the game without Jack getting a booking and without anyone getting a knock or a niggle.

The plan couldn't really have gone any better. A solitary goal from a penalty with 10 minutes to go courtesy of Jack was just enough to see us through to the next round. 

The queue for FA Cup tickets caused more interest than the game along with rumours that Glenn Tamplin had bought up 6,000 tickets and ordered 100 coaches. One of the coaches is being specially adapted to transport Glenn's ego.

A nervous week lies ahead for all Leatherhead supporters. There is one good omen. In 1974 we also played fellow Isthmian opposition in the FA Cup 1st round in the form of Bishops Stortford. The rest is history.........

Hythe are coming...

It's my birthday, and I'll cry if I want to.  Historians will know my birthday is not a lucky day in the Tanners' calendar, with us only winning one game on this day that I can remember... OK it was Sudbury to take us through to the first round proper, so not a bad one to have under your belt but it is slim pickings.

Our guests are Hythe.  A side we battled for several hours through the traffic to lose to in the FA Cup last season.  It is also the FA Trophy a week before the big one, so I am not entirely sure how this will go despite our higher league status.

On the plus side, we have a new striker from Dover (who isn't cup tied) to take a look at.  Could he be the answer to our dependence on Midson?

Kick off at 3pm.  Good luck fellas.

Staines 3 - 0 Tanners

A profligate Leatherhead leave Staines this stormy encounter empty handed and with a manager speaking of ringing the changes.

Despite the score line, it was a reasonably entertaining game for a Leatherhead fan.  We were bright, positive and you could not fault the team for effort.  There were other positives in Beere looks like he is going to be a handful for the opposition this year and young Nathan Wood (I haven't seen him before) looked like he could handle himself too.

The chances.  We had a few.  Midson was probably the most guilty of missing the clearest chances; blasting high over the bar from close range.  You cannot blame him for his bicycle / side kick from just going wide; it was a wonderful bit of improvisation.  Beere then struck the post and then just went over.  Woods could have scored but seemed to be distracted by the possibility of being offside.  In the second half Blackman sent his volley straight at the 'keeper.  You get the point.  We had chances.

Meanwhile it was a different story in defence.  The warning signs were there when Minshull twice gave the ball away to put us under pressure.  Then, just as everything was looking solid again, we switch off and allow a striker to be completely unmarked in front of goal.  1-0.

This trick was repeated two more times in the second half.  We switch off, they play a simple ball to an unmarked player.  Shoot.  Score.  The third goal beat our 'keeper near post from an angle to further highlight the bad day we were having.

On another day we win this game 3-0... I hope we have one of those days in a couple of weeks time...

Travelling Tanners

Leatherhead travel to Staines Town tomorrow in their last league game before the big show down with Billericay.  I can't see it going well if I am honest with you, but I am slightly more hopeful than I was with the Folkestone game.

Staines had a good start to the season, scoring 12 goals in the opening three games, and sit four points above us (albeit having played two games more).

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

Folkestone 3 - 0 Tanners

As I looked at the 2 hour journey to Folkestone I wondered what the prospect of getting a Leatherhead winning perform would be.  Mentally and physically tired; key players inured; a new player coming in; and an opposition with no other distractions.  Fortunately work commitments meant I could not leave in time as, had I gone, I would have been disappointed.

To be fair the first half it sounds like we made a fight of it.  Good spells of pressure and going close.  In the second half, the novelty of having a new player in the centre of midfield wore off and we played pretty much as I had predicted and we were brushed aside.

Not even the emergence of Sammy Moore could lift the side as we conceded three goals without response.  "Unacceptable" tweeted the manager... we will have to lift ourselves for Staines on Saturday.

Travelling Tanners

What a mixed night it was.  The highs of getting a home draw, the lows of picking the one team we would least like to face and while I was accused of jinxing it, we should not forget they are not there yet and face a strong team in Brackley.  

We then got into the Fans' Forum where Moore and Midson talked about their plans which involved bringing a couple of players in for the short term and building a bigger club in the long.  There was also sad news that Paul Semakula has decided he cannot commit to playing due to having a young family.  The timing seems strange, given that we are through to the First Round of the FA Cup, but that is the story we have been given so we will have to stick with it and wish this excellent servant of the club well.

Onto tonight and it is going to be a tough task.  Sammy Moore's ankle has swollen up (probably the ripped skinny jeans preventing good blood circulation) and Midson looked a little sore so we could be down two key players straight away.  We do however have a couple of players coming back, not least Beere who was cup tied.  Our hosts are just 2 points behind, so will fancy their chances to capitalise on a potentially mentally and physically drained side...

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

Margate 1 - 2 Tanners

Leatherhead get themselves into the hat for Monday night's draw after executing the perfect game plan.  Before the game, there was much talk about how we were hoping for a draw and that is how the first half panned out.  Tight and with little ambition from either side.  The second half was a different kettle of dolphins though.

Margate, perhaps lulled into a false sense of security, did not seem prepared for Leatherhead's pace from the wingbacks and we piled on the pressure.  The ref, who had mollycoddled the home side in the first half, now started giving us a few decisions to help build our confidence further.

Some thought we had our chance when Midson stuck the bar from close range; others thought it was never going to happen when Clohessy was brought down in the box; and when a corner routine found a player who scuffed the shot so badly it went backwards we were in despair but Moore had different ideas. 

From the scuffed shot he purposefully directed the ball to the back post.  Pidgley (whose main contribution to the game was to make the movable goals narrower and be the pantomime villain) was a mere spectator as the ball found the top corner.  Wild celebrations followed.

It was not too long after Midson got his mandatory goal.  He had just pulled a shot wide but on his second attempt his powerful volley beat Pidgley easily and we were certain the job was done.

Margate had other ideas and for the first time really started showing some ambition and put us under pressure.  A wonderful side volley sent the ball into the net with Margate players following soon after to get the ball back into play.  The ref then did that annoying thing of applying the injury time for the whole game on at then end (with little in the first half and then three minutes for the second) to really make us sweat but we held on.

7pm Monday is the time for the draw.  The romantic in me wants a big club away but to be in the draw is still a dream come true.

Travelling Tanners

This game should need no introduction.  Tomorrow we travel to fellow league cohorts Margate in the best chance we have had to make it through to the First Round since 2006.

Margate are the bookies' favourite.  They are playing at home on their 3G pitch.  Our form, despite the spin of being unbeaten in three, has not been the best if you include the League Cup etc. and we haven't really found a solution to the loss of Chike.

That said, we will be up for this.  We cancelled our mid-week game to focus on the game and to add an extra layer of bubble wrap to Sammy Moore on top of what has been a hefty layer of cotton wool.  Let us not also forget, we are level on points with only goal difference separating us.

We should travel in good numbers.  Two coaches - my first coach trip since Abingdon - and many under their own steam.

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

Tanners 2 - 1 Harlow

Sighs of relief all round as Tanners secured their first win in 5 league outings and moved into a comfortable mid table position.   

We are a well organised and hard working side but, since Chike left, lack invention and creativity. I am sure Sammy will be looking to address this as Midson is our only real goal threat. 

The midfield need to start contributing goals if we are to press for a play-off place.  Harlow are 3rd bottom and showed us why. They offered little, although gladly accepted the goal that was gifted to them. 

Jack came to the rescue with a header from a cross and Rees Williams Bowers (sounds like a show jumper) found the winner in the 2nd half from close range.  

A word about the referee. Useless.  

The players now have a week off to prepare for the big one on Saturday. The chance to get into the hat for the FA Cup 1st Round Proper for the first time since I pranced around in a suit at Torquay in 2006.   

Time to think about your dream fixture. Home to Charlton Athletic or Blackburn Rovers? Maybe away to Blackpool? Or the nightmare scenario.. Away to Billericay.

Harlow are coming...

Harlow arrive to The Grove in what I predict will be a largely one sided game.  We will have our eyes on a bigger prize.

Kick off at 3pm.  Best of luck.

Worthing 1 - 1 Tanners

First of all, Leatherhead should be proud and excited about reaching the 4th Qualifying Round of the FA Cup.  It is our "cup final" and understandable that we would want to focus on this but against a side that only has one point we could afford to dream about getting all three.  The best way to prepare for winning a game is to win games in my opinion.

So we travelled to Bognor Regis and made heavy weather of things.  We did have the ball in the net in the first half but it was ruled out for offside, other attempts were described as tame on Twitter.

On 70 minutes, Worthing took the lead; ironically during our best spell of pressure.  A powerful header at the back post that would have been a worthy winning goal.  Luckily Midson, our only real goal threat it seems, was at hand after a string of corners to snatch it in the last minute of injury time.

A point and Harlow will no doubt arrive with their tails up on Saturday...

Travelling Tanners

The next game isn't Harlow at home (fist bump hi five), it is in fact away at Worthing (well Bognor).

This should have been the home game but their pitch issues forced us to switch them.  Sadly for our hosts, their pitch issues have not improved so they are using Bognor's pitch.

It does not seemed to have mattered what pitch Worthing play on, they have suffered with only one point but perhaps a good time to play us.  I wonder how many players will be wrapped in cotton wool tonight.

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

Ashford Town 1 - 2 Tanners

Leatherhead win this surprisingly low key game to book their place in the 4th Qualifying Round after coming from behind.

Off the pitch, Ashford did not seem prepared for the match which was surprising since the first group of supporters must have arrived via the coach just in time for breakfast.  One person running the bar and a queue for food that rivalled Dulwich Hamlet's gourmet burger experience.

On the pitch they were far more organised and took full advantage of Leatherhead's lack of confidence by taking the game to their visitors from the start.  A mis-timed tackle in opening minutes gifted them a penalty and the lead after just two minutes.

Leatherhead, thankfully, did manage to compose themselves to respond. D'Sean was a constant threat and from set pieces our size always caused problems.  For all the skill we had our goals were forged from classic cup desperation. 

In the first half Minshull headed the ball from close range from a corner.  While winning the ball fairly he made enough contact with the 'keeper that would normally see the ref ruling it out on another day.  In the second half a goal mouth scramble saw the ball initially bundled over the line but headed out with the goal being given but Midson was at hand to side foot the ball into the net to make sure.

The visitors did pressure in the last 10 minutes, helped by an erratic ref, but we held on to book our place in the non-league final... just a game away from the big time.

Travelling Tanners

While cardboard cut-outs of the FA Cup are being wrapped in tin foil, Sammy Moore is being unwrapped from his protective layer of cotton wool.  We travel to Ashford Town in desperate need of leadership and goals.

Our hosts ply their trade in the Evo-Stik South East league and are doing very nicely, thank you very much.  They sit in third place, taking 16 points from a possible 21.

Leatherhead have lost their way after living up to their title of "ones to watch", but hopefully the returning Moore can get us firing again.

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

Levred 0 - 2 Margate

Leatherhead continue to flounder without their manager playing in midfield.  The club is too busy tweeting emojis to provide an official explanation but there are rumours that tonight was due to the FA Cup, which if true is a shame.  Leatherhead now look completely bereft of confidence and still have no real replacement for Chike to provide any real threat.

It was not as if Margate were all over us.  For periods of the first half we were creating some good chances, one forced Pidgley into a fine save and another bouncing off of a defender who had no idea where the ball was.  Leatherhead are proving to be brittle at the back and with Margate's few shots on target they found themselves 1-0 up.

Leatherhead fans hoped for a response and they were left disappointed.  We played even worse and probably only created one or two chances while Margate were striking the underside of the cross bar, had two goals ruled out for offside before they went 2-0 up.

You know when the squawking of a Margate supporter is the most entertaining part of the game it has been a bad night out and Ashford will be licking their lips at the prospect of facing this dross on Saturday... still at least all the players had the night off from playing and managing last week in the league cup... smart move... I mean, what could go wrong..?

Margate are coming

After taking the last 10 days off, Leatherhead will hopefully approach this game slightly more professionally than they did last week in the league cup.  We may not have the same riches as Pep Guardiola, but failure to show the game the respect it deserves resulted in 9 goals conceded and none scored over the last two games.

Perhaps this may also be put down to finding life without Chike more difficult than expected.  His pace does not look to have been replaced which proved to be so deadly up until his departure.

Margate site one place above us by virtue of scoring four more goals than us, but they will be hoping for more than 12th place and present a challenge to get all three points.

Kick off at 7.45.  See you there!

Dulwich Hamlet 4 - 0 Tanners

Leatherhead were well rested having not played mid week. Unfortunately the defence carried on resting for the first 20 minutes today by which time we 2-0 down. 

Surely the players would have been better prepared by recording a handsome victory over Chipstead rather than sitting at home?

If you enjoyed queueing for rides at Disney World, come to Dulwich. Dulwich fans spend their whole time queuing; admission, beer, tea, toilets, traffic lights, 20mph zones, bus lanes, waiting for a play-off win.

We had chances today but they were squandered. However, Dulwich could easily have had 6. There was a bit of belief lacking today. The talismanic Moore sat the game out and was sorely missed. It is assumed he was injured but no official reason was forthcoming. 

So a trying week ends on 0-9.  Ashford Town will be looking forward to the FA Cup fixture rather more than when the draw was made on Monday.

Travelling Tanners

While our hosts are largely still never forgiving; never forgetting I believe (hope) that seeing Jimmy Bullard banging on the dressing room wall after beating the common enemy has softened them a bit.

Leatherhead fans will want to see more commitment, more first team players and more management from the shambles in the week.  Dulwich will be licking their wounds after a tricky start to the season and an FA Cup exit.

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

Chipstead 5 - 0 Tanners

After the Lord Mayor's show comes the sh*t cart.

 

A thunderous display at Ware was followed by a pathetic halfhearted effort at Chipstead. We only have two realistic chances of silverware this season. Correction, we now have one.

 

We are unlikely to win the FA Cup, and we are unlikely to tamper with Tamplin winning the league, so that leaves the Surrey Senior Cup. We don't normally enter The FA Trophy.

 

The team sheet was a huge disappointment to those supporters who made the effort to travel.  Even the player/manager decided neither to play nor manage.

 

Even more disappointing was the effort put in by the second string team. Their attitude reflected that of the management. If we are competing for the play offs come January this league cup abdication will be justified. If we are mid table and arranging friendless due to the lack of games it will prove to be a lost opportunity.

Travelling Tanners

Tonight we travel to Chipstead in the Velocity Sports Cup, which is the League Cup in old money.

This is a competition where a fair few youth players could be given a run out.  The FA Cup could prove a mighty distraction.

Kick off at 7.45z. Good luck fellas.