RPV 2 - 0 Tanners

On a night which brought out the big coat from the cupboard, Leatherhead were beaten by Raynes Park Vale in another friendly.

The first half was largely uneventful.  Jermaine was fired up and wanted something from the game.  Our number 3 was certainly fired up when he disagreed with the ref over an award of a foul throw.

Second half and there was more intensity from Leatherhead but it failed to produce a much needed goal.  Shots were blasted straight at either the nearest defender or at the 'keeper.

The opening goal was scored by Leatherhead... into their own net.  The second was beautiful as it was simple.  A lofted ball over our right back was chased and delicate chipped into the side netting.

2-0 it ends and to top off the evening I was, rightly, told off for eating the players' post match food...

Onto Basingstoke on Saturday then...

Tanners 0 - 1 Farnham

Still no goals for Leatherhead in a friendly played in fine conditions and a competitive spirit.

I was quite impressed with the turn out for this game.  The fine  weather brought in  a reasonable crowd to watch what was,on the whole, an uneventful game.

Farnham were taking this perhaps a  little too seriously when two fouls in quick succession on the same player saw him limp off.

Their goal was very much true to Leatherhead's form.  A powerful shot thundered  off of the bar only to find a player on the edge of the box.  With our 'keeper on the floor having committed to saving the first shot it only took a well  placed shot to beat him and any defenders trying to close the danger down.  1-0.

On to  Raynes Park Vale on Tuesday for another friendly with, hopefully, goals from Leatherhead.

Farnham are coming

Farnham Town arrive at The Grove for a friendly today.  A day off, due to an early Trophy exit, means we have a Saturday to try and learn how to score goals again.

I'll be there to install a new feature at The Grove and the bar will be open.

Kick off at 1pm.  See you there!

Tanners 0 - 0 Southall

A Southall side that appeared to come for a draw go home the happier side as a game that was described, politely, as attritional  was played out last night.

I thought it was going to be very different when Archie Burnett made a darting run in the box and went over... the ref blew his whistle and I thought we got a penalty for the worst dive I have ever seen but it was for offside.  That was largely the action for the first half  done and dusted with.

Second half was harder to watch until a sequence that brought about three chances over 10 seconds.   Tarpey hit the post and the ball rebounded to Mitch who struck it low at the 'keeper.  Back to Mitch who then blasted wide.  A golden 10 seconds.

Southall created little but did force the best save of the game with a low dive to stop a ball that looked destined to find the bottom corner.

No game this weekend but there are rumours of a friendly at The Grove...

Southall are coming

After gaining a point away at Guernsey, a game that local press suggest we should have taken all three, we face new friends in the shape of Southall.

Southall sit just outside the play-off places with 8 points.  A win tonight will put us just one point behind them,  albeit at this early stage of the season.

Kick off at 7.45pm.   See you there!

Guernsey 1 - 1 Tanners

Leatherhead weathered an early storm not to go into half time a couple of goals down.

If hitting the woodwork was a competition, we would be top of the league this year... but it isn't and we find ourselves near the bottom.

Therefore when Guernsey scored from a ball over the top those who made the trip must have feared the worst.  That was until Tarpey was brought down in the box and coolly slotted away the penalty.

A point on the road before we face Southall on Tuesday at home...

Travelling Tanners

After the disappointment of the FA Trophy, Leatherhead turn their attention back to the league and the trip to Guernsey.

The first time we played our hosts we lost our in form striker, due to new father duties, but still took a large travelling contingent.

This trip, the uncertainty over the date etc. will mean few will make the trip but all current strikers travel.

Kick off at 2pm.  Good luck fellas. 

Travelling Tanners

Leatherhead face Walton & Hersham in the FA Sodding Trophy tonight in our third attempt to beat our hosts in the last 12 months.

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

Tanners 1 - 2 Chichester

Leatherhead crash out of the cup after Chichester secured their first away win of the season.

Everything looked straight forward for much of the second half.  Our hosts didn't much on or off the pitch, so when we scored I felt the cup win was ours.  

We were a touch fortunate after the ball struck the hand of our player which allowed him to control and pass to Buchanan who smashed it home. The scorer went on to hit the post with a near header moments later.

The damage was done for Leatherhead two minutes either side of half time.  First it looked like Keane was fouled to allow the Chichester player to make enough space to shoot from distance.  

Then into the second half and they scored again.  Our 'keeper made an initial save but could not get to the 50:50 in time and the ball was slid under him.

Leatherhead looked lackluster and short of ideas but did somehow manage to hit the post another time.  McGlashan came on to increase the quality down our right and while the last 5 minutes saw us knock on the door, our shots were smothered.

Perhaps on another day the deflection that took our shot onto the bar goes in... but today it didn't and those that had flights to Guernsey booked can breathe a sigh of relief.

Onto next Saturday and the bloody waste of time that is the Trophy.

Chichester are coming

Chichester make their way up from the South East division, to play in this FA Cup First Qualifying Round game.

Our guests have only tasted defeat once this season,  losing just 1-0 to Lancing last week.  We, on the other hand, have not got off to the best start in the league BUT the FA Cup game was the stand out performance of the season so far.

Kick off at 3pm.  See you there!

Tanners 0 - 2 Walton & Hersham

It wasn't just a cutting edge missing today. It was the knife the bread and the butter.

Despite a more assured defensive display, Leatherhead were unable to find other players in green once they got into attacking positions and caused W&H very few problems. 

3 points from 4 games is about as welcome as a topless half time FaceTime call from the beach. 

A very disappointing start for a team fancied to be there or thereabouts at the end of the season.

If we play better in the FA Cup next week, questions will need to be asked about the effort being put into league games by players who should be getting better results. 

Walton & Hersham are coming

Bank Holiday football comes to The Grove today and this visit of ambitious local rivals, Walton & Hersham.

Our visitors knocked us out the Surrey Senior Cup last year and are tipped to be there or thereabouts this season in the league. Expect a big crowd…

Kick off at 3pm.  Good luck fellas! 

Thatcham Town 1 - 2 Tanners

Leatherhead made hard work of this one with the first half looking the most sluggish.   We controlled the game but seemed to lack a real cutting edge.

The opening goal was spectacular though.  Buchanan chased a ball to the left of goal and opted to loft the ball into the path of the on-coming Webb.  His first time volley found the bottom corner and sent the large travelling contingent into wild celebrations.

Leatherhead appeared to take the stuffing out of our hosts in the second half and really looked more likely to score.  Tarpey could have had a hatful had the ball not repeatedly got stuck under his feet or hit a bobble.

Tarpey and Buchanan are starting to understand each other though and Tarpey turned provider as his cross found Buchanan's thigh.  They all count.

Despite the dominance we somehow managed to allow Thatcham to score and set up a nervous finish.  A freekick on the edge of the box being just one nervy moment, but their 'keeper predicted it would end up in the Kennet and that's exactly what happened.

Three points and a visit of Walton & Hersham on Monday...

Travelling Tanners

The New Ground Klaxon sounds as we are off to Thatcham Town tomorrow.  By chance I have a party in Reading tonight  so this fixture worked out nicely.

Thatcham are unbeaten with two draws.  Leatherhead have been very much beaten in the league but put in a good display in the FA Cup.

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

Tanners 3 - 0 Haywards Heath

Leatherhead looked a completely different side yesterday as they took the game to our guests and largely dominated.  The cup being the cup meant that, despite controlling the game, we couldn't really relax until the chances were capitalised on.

The first goal came via a freekick, swung in from the left then headed back across goal to the feet of Tarpey.  He landed awkwardly for him and it took him a couple of attaempts to prod it into the roof of the net.  Limbs.

Tarpey almost turned provided when he slide it into Elliot but he either mistruck it or tried to be too clever as it clipped the post and went out for a goal kick.

Second half and we needed a second goal.  Elliot broke down the right (looked offside I have to admit) and slid it into Tarpey.  We learned two things with the resulting shot; Dave Tarpey knows where the back of the net is and he knows where the camera is also as he ran to celebrate infront of the sizable lens.  Total limbs.

More pressure saw Leatherhead denied a clear penalty and Gough go narrowly wide from a low freekick.  Haywards Heath then threw on Melford Simpson, who created some havoc and saw his team carve out two chances that, had they gone in, would have shattered the dream... but one was well saved and another blasted over.

Two nil was more than comfortable until McGlashan chased a ball and got a little lucky with how the ball rebounded out infront of him from a tackle.    There was nothing lucky about his deft finish which delecately glided over the diving 'keeper.  Absolute limbs.

So now we have the draw to look forward to on Monday and the distant sound of the New Ground Klaxon as we travel to Thatcham on Saturday.

Haywards Heath are coming!

The FA Cup returns to The Grove tomorrow, with the visit of Haywards Heath.

Our guests are one of the favourites to do well in their league (same level) this season but have had a disappointing start by their standards, with just a draw to their name… a draw more than us though…

Kick off at 3pm.  See you there!

Tanners 0 - 1 South Park

Erik ten Hag and Luke shared a glass of wine together and reflected on a difficult start to the season on Tuesday night.  A slender 1-0 defeat showed signs of improvement but still not enough to get something from the game.

I arrived at The Grove in my new Matt Bently top both shocked at how small it was and dizzy from having to breathe in so much.

Onto the game and Leatherhead looked a lot brighter.  The static side that got pumped 4-0 on Saturday were now willing to run and challenge our visitors a bit.  We looked most dangerous when playing it along the ground but still opted for some wasteful long balls that caused moans from the crowd.

South Park's goal was something of a surprise.  A long range shot went through a crowded area and neatly struck the post and snuck in.  The silence was deafening.

Football being the cruel mistress that it is, saw Gough's long range shot strike the post but sneak out.  The half ended 0-1.

Second half and I treated myself to one of our new pie range.  A pie that was rich in flavour and reasonably priced but did little for my enjoyment of wearing my new top.

Leatherhead dominated much of the second half but South Park managed to block everything that we threw at them. Elliot came on to add some height and strength upfront but it did not change our luck.

Onto the FA Cup on Saturday then...

South Park are coming

Both sides go into this game on the back of a 4-0 loss on the opening day of the season, looking to make amends.

Leatherhead, by all accounts, have made a couple of changes to gear up for tonight.  A night that will no doubt be a lot cooler than the conditions of Saturday.

Kick off at 7.45.  See you there!

Tanners 0 - 4 Westfield

Luke said he thought we needed a few games to get going, I didn't believe him thinking Tarpey alone would be enough but he was right.

Tarpey looked to get the season off to the perfect start when he pounced on a ball and prodded it beyond the reach of the 'keeper.  His guilty glance to the lino caused the flag to be raised but amatuer-VAR showed he was onside.

Westfield then decided to take the game to Leatherhead and we failed to respond.  They got the opening goal, scored by Bradley Walsh.  This caused some amusement for the home supporters... but the good humour was short-lived as the game went from bad to worse when they made it 2-0... then (onto the second half now) 3 and then 4...

Meanwhile, Leatherhead looked hot and tired and failed to register much more than one or two shots on target.

Leatherhead tick off another point of the compass on Tuesday with the visit of South Park... a side who also lost 4-0 today...

 

Westfield are coming!

Our new friends from Woking arrive at the Grove today as we get the season underway.  Some mixed results in friendlies BUT with some outstanding performances means we have shot to the top of the "fans' pick" for the title this season.  No pressure then.

Kick off at 3pm. See you there!