Bom dia! I am back from Brazil and Leatherhead are back in action today. We’re off to Colston Avenue for a friendly versus Carshalton Athletic.
Leatherhead have been winning their friendlies but Richard is still looking for more. A decent score line according to the local press…
Directions can be found here. Kick off at 3pm and only a fiver to get in. See you there.
On Monday a demolition company is coming to the ground to remove the pitch perimeter wall so the club needs to save the advertising hoardings around the ground. Therefore there is a work party arranged for tomorrow at 9am.
There are plenty of other tasks to help out with too so hope as many of you as possible can make it to The Grove…
Folkestone are promising goals galore in the Ryman Div One South with the signing of Draycott as he joins the ranks leaving The Grove for clubs to the east. Perhaps the travel demands of the Premier are proving too much…
Rumour also has it we welcome back Louis Wells between the sticks who was with us in 2012. News of new signings will no doubt wait until the players meet in July…
The club has announced its initial tranche of friendlies as follows. Often a few more can be sneaked in so keep an eye on the official site for updates…
12th July - Sittingbourne (a)
19th July - Corinthian (a)
26th July - Thamesmead (a)
30th July - Eastbourne Borough (h)
2nd August - Slough Town (h)
Details of next year’s season tickets are out as follows.
Membership - £25
As a member of the club you will be able to attend the AGM and vote on proposals (i.e. you will be influencing the future of the club).
Season Ticket (£170 Adults, £120 Over 65s/Students & £55 Juniors (under 16))
Gives free entry to all home league games (not cup matches), home pre-season friendlies and Ryman Under 21 home League games, free parking within the ground on match days, with a parking permit and parking space allocated to you and includes all membership benefits above.
Vice President
As all of the above but with refreshments in board room before the game, at half-time and after the match. Price options are Under 60 ten year member - £1,500 and Over 60 Life Member - £1,500 OR for Season 2014/15, £330 Adults and £210 Over 65s.
The club is also offering an Early Bird discount on season tickets if you apply before 2 July of £10 off the above prices.
Contact ra.bligh@ntlworld.com for the necessary forms!
Leatherhead clinch promotion and inflict the same penalty agony we had to endure four years earlier. Bradbrook set us on our way. A lob on 13 minutes beat the ‘keeper and gave us the deserved lead. While we pressed unlike Guernsey the second goal couldn’t be found.
A half ******** time ******* team ******** talk from Cugley and the hosts came out firing. Leatherhead were forced to try and hang on and tired legs finally gave way when on 87 minutes Folkestone equalized.
Extra time went the same way as regular time but without the goals. Leatherhead, after regrouping, held their own but as the end neared Folkestone grew in confidence.
That confidence deserted them from the spot though with the impressive Ibrahim standing between them and success. While Draycott under hit his effort Bradbrook, Coyle and Smith all scored. Ibrahim saved two and his presence no doubt played a factor in the last telling penalty striking the post.
Promotion! Time to start planning for some new grounds…
Luke Pigden. Four years ago it was his open goal miss that led us into the fateful penalties that night where we lost 5-3. Only Kev Terry remains from that side that now looks ready for a serious challenge tomorrow. Folkestone’s recent form also makes them look a different proposition from the one that visited the Grove not so long ago.
So, the final beckons. Pity it is away but a fitting end to a very good season. We have Bradbrook in form and while Guernsey had Ross Allen we must now try and keep a player bound for the league quiet.
Kick off at 3pm. Directions here. Hope to see you there…
Leatherhead forge ahead into the final thanks to goals from Smith and Bradbrook. Leatherhead got off to the dream start with Smith opening the score as he ran onto a Bradbrook flick on minutes into the game. Bradbrook minutes later took the ball on the edge of the box, made room for a shot and curled his strike into the top right corner. A goal that even made Matt Le Tissier sit up and take note on twitter!
Another Bradbrook goal in the second half when he pounced on a knock down from a corner put us in charge. Until the 75th minute it was all Leatherhead and Guernsey were lucky not to go 5-0 down when two clear chances went begging. Guernsey was finding life with Bradbrook far too difficult and for a spell targeted him with some unpunished rough stuff.
Guernsey did get one back and suddenly the momentum changed and we were hanging on at the end when they scored another ten minutes from the end. All in all a perfect finish. Guernsey had some goals to think about in the Premier Inn, we celebrate a hard fought win. So many good performances do dwell on. Smart and Smith broke up attacks in midfield. Ryan at right back had the beating of their left back. Bradbrook couldn’t be touched. Jerry and Coyle kept Ross Allen quiet for much of the match.
On to Folkestone then on Saturday. Hopefully they will have some tired legs after their extra time win against Hastings last night…
Worthing come to the Grove in the final fixture of the season. A win will see us second place. Anything less will give Folkestone the chance to nick it from us.
Kick off at 3pm. Good luck fellas.
Leatherhead were welcomed to this new ground by a friendly bunch considering the run they have been on. On the pitch they were equally as accommodating as it is clear they have yet to bond. A defender referring to the man between the sticks as “keeper” as opposed to “Smudger” etc.
Bradbrook and Theo were left on the bench for this encounter, pushing Parkinson into the no 9 shirt. It soon paid off with him collecting a cross at the edge of the box and stroking it low past “Keeper”.
There is one thing we can learn from this game. Avery is good in the air. He had already thundered one into the feet of the man on the post and soon after he leaped through a defender to score the second of the day. The third goal moments later came from Avery heading down towards Jerry who prodded home. He celebrated in disbelief he had scored.
Darren Smith was given an opportunity to make it four on 40 minutes. A free-kick right on the edge of the box sailed into the top right hand corner.
Second half and the damage was done. The home side were not looking dangerous and so we went about our business at a leisurely pace. Avery added a goal to his tally from an instinctive strike some 15 yards out.
No one wanted a goal more than Kev Terry but it didn’t go his way. Theo came on and could have scored a couple but luck was not on his side either.
Burgess Hill come to the Grove Saturday hoping to keep any chance of them making the play-offs alive. A win could give us the runners up spot…
Well that was disappointing. Leatherhead lose to a second half brace allowing Peacehaven to claim the title. Now all bad news as those below us too struggled.
Leatherhead could have built up a safe lead after a series of missed chances. Leatherhead were also accused of being a tad too robust as the home side made all three changes to accommodate injuries.
Herne Bay then went on to punish us with a double from Jordan Casey.
A rare week off now until we travel to a new look Crawley Down Gatwick…
Richard of Arabia masterminded a welcome win in Kent thanks to a last minute Kev Terry tap in. It look at first like it was going to be a formality with Draycott hitting the inside of the post in the first few minutes and their defence looking all at sea. So typical of a wounded animal that 20 minutes later they slotted one in from the edge of the box.
Leatherhead responded well with a stooping header from Draycott levelling, but then we seemed to take our foot off the pedal and they forced a number of corners to put together some pressure of their own.
Second half and we began to dominate so no surprise when debutant Richard Avery scored with another header. 2-1 and perhaps we could finally think the three points were ours… but then in a rare foray the home side won a free kick 30 yards out which was expertly bent into the back of the net whilst our wall still seemed to be lining up.
This buoyed Whitstable and moments later they carved us open only for their striker to inexplicably hit the post from 5 yards when faced with an open goal. Both sides had decent half chances, until in the last minute of injury time Eisa went on a mazy run, the ball found its way to Kev inside the box, he juggled it past the keeper and tapped home to much elation from the visiting few.
Herne Bay awaits…
(based on Dickie’s match report)
Leatherhead travel into the dust bowl of Whitstable tonight in a rare Thursday night outing. They must be playing catch up as they beat Eastbourne 3-2 on Tuesday. Leatherhead fans may as well find a nice B&B to stay in as they will be returning to that neck of the woods Saturday with a trip to Herne Bay.
Kick off at 7.45. Directions can be found here. Good luck fellas.