Leatherhead moved up to sixth in the table after this uninspiring draw against Whyteleafe. Tanners created plenty of chances in the first half but by the end they were fortunate to hold on for a point.
With Liam Pestle serving a one match suspension, Adam Goodwell returned to the Tanners defence in an otherwise unchanged line up. Leatherhead started brightly with Tommy Hutchings looking a lot more confident going forward and creating plenty of openings for those around him. Hutchings latched onto a clearance from Chico Ramos after eight minutes and hit a long shot just wide of the post.
Tanners were given a huge let off after 14 minutes when Ramos got himself into all kinds of bother dealing with a back pass. A moment’s hesitation from the Leatherhead keeper saw him dispossessed by Whyteleafe’s Darren Watson but the striker hurried his shot and missed the target. All that was forgotten moments later, as the Tanners took the lead by unlocking the Leafe defence with some skilful midfield interplay. Kev Terry collected the ball on the half way line and found Gabriel Odunaike breaking into the visitors’ penalty area.
An inspired back-heel flick saw the ball played into the path of Mark Simmons who buried it with a rasping shot from twelve yards. Leatherhead had a chance to increase their lead on the half hour mark when Hutchings fed the ball through to Odunaike on the edge of the box but Leafe keeper Robert O’Hara smothered the shot with relative ease. Leafe’s equaliser came after 40 minutes following a mistake in the Tanners defence.
Goodwell misjudged the pace of a ball down by the corner flag which he thought was heading out for a goal kick. While waiting for the ball to run out of play a fast approaching Eligjah Ogunseye pressurised the young defender into conceding a corner. The resulting kick was floated high into the box and was met by the head of Watson. Ramos could only parry the powerful header into the path of Leafe’s Fred Fleming who fired home from five yards. Whyteleafe upped tempo in the second half and looked the side more likely to get a winner but some poor finishing from both sides meant there were few chances at either end. The best of these came after 85 minutes, as Leafe substitute Josh Smith won the ball on the wing and found Chris O’Flaherty in the middle of the box who forced a sharp save from Ramos.
Leatherhead will be disappointed with yet another patchy performance. Although the point moves up them up two places in the League table they will need to beat better opponents than Whyteleafe if they are to challenge for the play offs this season.

Leatherhead: Ramos, Coke, Goodwell, Boulter, Boswell, Thompson, Terry (Elston), Simmons, Andrews (Macleod), Hutchings, Odunaike

Report by Rod Ellis

A Greg Andrews hat trick earned Leatherhead a valuable three points in this close encounter at Chipstead.
Tanners boss Mick Sullivan opted for a 4-4-2 formation, bringing in Gabriel Odunaike to partner Tommy Hutchings up front. Sullivan made further changes from Saturday’s line up, giving starts to Jon Coke, Liam Pestle and Kev Terry.
Leatherhead dominated the early stages of the match testing Chips keeper Martin Grant from all angles. Chipstead nearly conceded an own goal when a misguided clearance from defender Wayne Grizzle arced over Grant’s head and just cleared the crossbar.
Kev Terry was instrumental in Leatherhead’s opening goal. Terry broke down the right after 12 minutes and delivered an awkward ball into the Chipstead box which was cleared only as far as Andrews on the edge of the area. Andrews took one touch before looking up and striking the ball firmly into the corner of the net.
Chipstead had a golden opportunity to equalise moments later when former Tanners front man Dominic O’Shea pulled a ball back for Jason Thompson in front of goal, but he somehow contrived to miss the target from five yards. For all their dominance in midfield Tanners were unable to build on their early lead with a second goal before half time. Chipstead introduced substitute AJ Morrison at the start of the second period. Morrison’s darting runs down the right flank made an immediate impact on the match as the home side began to look more threatening on the break.
Leatherhead replaced midfielders Kev Terry and a subdued Mark Simmons with Jack Macleod and Bentley Graham midway through the second half. Chipstead equalised from the penalty spot after 69 minutes following a reckless tackle from Coke on Ray Freeman on the edge of the Tanners box. Thompson made amends for his early miss with a well placed spot kick.
Chips grew in confidence and looked the more likely side to find a winner. Wayne Hibbert was given room to shoot from the edge of the box after 84 minutes and forced a good save from Chico Ramos.
The match turned in Leatherhead’s favour when the visitors were awarded an undisputed penalty after 86 minutes.
Andrews’ cross found Jon Boswell in front of goal. Boswell’s header was cleared off the line by Lee Coburn’s outstretched arm and the Chipstead centre half duly received his marching orders before Andrews hit the spot kick low past Grant. As the game moved into injury time the ten men of Chipstead were unable to stop Andrews adding a third goal for the Tanners with another well placed shot that flew past Grant. The final result flattered Leatherhead’s overall performance as they really should have built on their early lead and had the three points sown up by half time.

Leatherhead: Ramos, Coke, Pestle, Boulter, Boswell, Thompson, Terry (Macleod), Simmons (Graham), Andrews, Hutchings (Elston), Odunaike

Match report by Rod Ellis