Tanners 1 - 0 Ascot United

Another big crowd came Leatherhead notch up their second 1-0 win over the festive season.  Again we were forced to be patient as the visitors played a cagey game.

Leatherhead showed attacking intent from the start, with mainly Dan Hector on long range shooting duty.  Ascot sat deep and invited these pot shots and it looked to be one of those long afternoons.

The first half could have finished with Leatherhead having at least a one man advantage,as Stagg was put through for a one on one and the 'keeper opted to save using his left hand when outside the box.  Had a few Leatherhead players appealed it may have been given but all we got was a corner from the incident.

Second half and the pressure told.  The ball was "stood up" to the far left-hand post and Splatts was there, eagerly waiting for the ball to drop.  He wound up a side volley and in truth sliced it a little but what it then lacked in power it gained in accuracy as the ball span into the far side netting.

We suffered a few scares in the last 5 minutes, but we held on to set up a crucial game against Westfield who will prove to be a very different type of opposition as they sit outside of the play-off places on goal difference only.

Ascot United are coming!

Leatherhead see out the year with a visit from Ascot United.

This damp and windy Saturday will see the highest placed side (13th) to have a negative goal difference come to the Grove.

Kick off at 3pm. See you there!

Tanners 1 - 0 Corinthian-Casuals

I didn't wear my Palmeiras shirt to this game, as it seems only to bring bad luck against our bogey team.

Watching the first half was much like watching a game of cricket.  You didn't need to focus on the game, but you could turn and talk to your neighbour about festivities and only turn your attention when you heard a ripple of applause or a cry from the middle of the pitch.

We looked a lot more purposeful in the second half, and full attention was needed.  Our opening goal came when Travan was slipped through a clever ball that he ran onto and fired it across goal.  Tyler Cox was on hand at the far post to bury it from close range.

Corinthians' fans were now in full voice and their team responded so a second goal was crucial.  The chance came when the ref awarded a penalty for a foul on Stagg...  

Stagg ran onto a ball but hovered over it to allow a defender to clumsily crash into him from behind.  Gus Sow hit his penalty at the perfect height for such a tall 'keeper and it was saved.

Our visitor's day got worse when their defender received his second yellow card, reducing them to 10 men.

We held on and now set up a home tie against Ascot, to keep pressure on the top 3...

Corinthian-Casuals are coming!

If the players feel anything like I did, when I woke up this morning, we're doomed. That kind of preparation, that only Dave Stevens thrived on, I am sure was expressly banned by Hayden.

Our guests will be looking for some festive cheer, as they sit in the relegation places.

Kick off at 3pm. See you there!

Happy Christmas!

From everyone here at The Lip!, Happy Christmas!

Hanworth Villa are coming

Seventh place Hanworth Villa come to the Grove tomorrow for this league fixture.

I'm still in the US and have absolutely no idea what time it is.

Kick off at 5am.  Good luck fellas.

Travelling Tanners

For some, the New Ground Klaxon will sound tomorrow as we travel to 8th place Hartley Witney.

If you are going, there are road closures (see tweets) and heavy rain and wind to contend with...

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

Raynes Park Vale

Pre-season friendlies; mid-season friendlies; mid-week cups... we haven't been able to beat our guests... annoying.

Tonight, Raynes Park Vale arrive at the Grove for this league fixture and the winner will go top; albeit with us having played two more games than Chertsey should we break into unchartered ground.

Kick off at 7.45.  See you there!

Tanners 1 - 0 Guernsey

Leatherhead faced a Guernsey side that were determined to leave with at least a point, as they frustrated us for 80 minutes.  While sides around us were scoring five goals, we will take the 1-0 win to keep us in the chase.

This wasn't one for the neutral.  It was bloody freezing and with our guests showing little ambition, we had to be patient and pass the ball around in front of them until an opening could be found.

We could have scored in the opening 5 minutes, but once Guernsey had found their main-land legs, they proved hard to break down.

The second half was much the same until about 70 minutes when suddenly Guernsey looked to get more than just a point, and tried to score on the break.  In turn, our chances started to look more promising.

Stagg rattled the bar.  Hector skimmed the far post.  Headers were being blocked on the line.  Most of these were replicated in our goal.

A Dan Hector cross was headed on goal, only for it to be cleared off of the line and the ball landed on the penalty spot where Ollie Cook was at hand to take control and fire it into the bottom corner.  After working so hard, I almost felt sorry for Guernsey.  Almost.

On to Tuesday then and the big one.  Raynes Park Vale are coming...

Guernsey are coming!

Guernsey arrive to the The Grove  today, with the DOUBLE SOCKER KLAXON sounding loudly.   It is the kind of weather that would see Dave Blaz, our ex-groundsman, reaching for his winter shorts.

Last week we bounced back from defeat and beat last place Binfield.  Now we face a side one place higher, as Guernsey find themselves in the relegation places.

Kick off at 3pm.  See you th-th-th-there!

Binfield 0 - 2 Tanners

Perhaps more hard-fought than we would have hoped, given our hosts are bottom of the table, but work us they did as we came out with a 1-0.

Omarr Lawson got us off to an early start.  We had just survived a scare in front of our own goal before Omarr finished off a low cross.

A pretty even game unfolded and Stagg left it until the last few minutes of stoppage time to make it safe and 2-0.

No game midweek so we wait until Saturday to host Guernsey, who sit just one place higher than Binfield... 

Travelling Tanners

Leatherhead travel to Binfield tomorrow, to face them in the league.  

Last year, our hosts were just outside the play-off places.  This year they are rooted to the bottom and have yet to win a game.  A perfect chance to bounce back from our midweek defeat... or a massive banana skin..?

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

Tanners 1 - 2 Badshot Lea

Leatherhead came out in the first half like world beaters and really should have added to Stagg's early goal.

Our guests came out in the second half galvonised from surviving the opening 45 minutes just one goal down, and took the game to Leatherhead.  We failed to respond and got completely outplayed, lucky not to lose by one or two more.

On to Binfield on Saturday then...

Badshot Lea are coming

The recent rains appears not to have scuppered this fixture again, so tonight we play Badshot Lea.

I miss this game as I am away in Paris.  Sacre bleu!

Kick off at 7.45.  Bonne chance, garsons!

Tanners 1 - 0 Ashford Town

A frustrating day for the 505 crowd, who hoped to see more goals but a stubborn Ashford side kept them at bay.

Luke Tuffs arrived back at the Grove, knowing his side were going to be worked hard for 90 minutes and set his side out to make life as difficult as possible for us.

Little happened in the first half until the 40th minute when their 'keeper landed badly, resulting in a dislocated shoulder.  With no recognised 'keeper on the bench, this left out guests playing the rest of the game with effective 10.5 men.

On the stroke of half-time we won a penalty, which Beanie smashed to the stand-in keeper's left and had no chance.

In the second half, Ashford were far more adventurous and hit the roof of the net with a looping header.  Game on.  Meanwhile Leatherhead shot more on sight but Ashford did an fantastic job of closing the threat down, so only one found it's way on goal and the 'keeper dealt with it.  Just.

Up to third we go but we face a very different challenge on Tuesday...

Ashford Town (Middlesex) are coming!

Game on!  Barring a heaving downpour (which last night was forecast) we can expect to see football at the Grove, after having had three games rained off in quick succession.

This fixture will see our old manager Luke Tuffs return, with his side sitting in 14th place.

Kick off at 3pm.  See you there!

Badshot Lea are coming!

I made a mistake and the NEW GROUND KLAXON is on hold as Badshot Lea come to us tomorrow.  However, for the third home game in a row, a storm precedes the fixture and The Grove could be in for another soaking.  Fingers crossed.

Our guests are knocking on the door of the play-offs and sit in sixth place having scored the same amount of goals as us but we've conceded almost 50% less.

Kick off at 7.45.  See you there!

Met Police 0 - 4 Tanners

Another dominant performance, as Leatherhead repeat the score line of Tuesday night with four goals (with another own goal).

Met Police failed to consistently deal with Leatherhead from the start.  Our attackers were allowed to roam freely down the left wing but they seemed to stamp out anything down our right...

It was also clear we were going to be shooting more.  These shots were troubling the horses, in the facility behind, more than the 'keeper but it was nice to see the intent.

The our opening goal.  An attack down our left and a cut-back ball into the box, found Hector how slotted it passed the 'keeper who was well out of position.

The second goal was a calamity from their number six.  Just seconds early he had volleyed it just over his own goal, mistiming everything.  He made no mistake from the following corner which found him unmarked at the far post; keeping his head over the ball he calmly stroked it into his own net.

A Braverman-style halftime team talk saw our hosts come out a lot more organised and for 20 minutes looked the most likely to get one back and make it interesting.  Leatherhead got through this spell and started applying pressure for more goals.

The Met's 'keeper had opted to kick it long all game but for some reason started playing out from the back when we were at our most adventurous.  This resulted in him getting the ball back with Stagg bearing down on him and in the resulting panic, played it into his shins and it rebounded towards goal and needed no further encouragement to cross the line.

In injury time Stagg made it four... but I missed this goal.

Onto Tuesday and a NEW GROUND KLAXON of Badshot Lea...

Travelling Tanners

After scoring four goals in the week Leatherhead hope they have at least one more in the locker when we face our old friends, Met Police.

The Met Police make a return to our league, missing us so much they took voluntary relegation to play us again.

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

Travelling Tanners

Leatherhead need to dry themselves off and get back to league duties, after we lose our second Saturday home fixture in quick succession.  We are off to Chipstead.

Our old friends sit just three points behind us, having played one more game, and score 8 more goals (while conceding 12 more).  Hopefully we will see more of our strikers than we did away to Marlow... 

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