By Rod Ellis

Leatherhead 2 (Hutchings, Andrews) Aveley 0

It was just like old times at Fetcham Grove on Saturday, with Tommy Hutchings and Greg Andrews getting their names on the scoresheet as the Tanners comfortably dispatched Aveley with a 2-0 win.

Leatherhead’s victory, coupled with Harrow Borough’s defeat against Canvey Island, saw the Tanners move out of the bottom four for the first time since August.

Richard Brady was able to name an unchanged line up from the side that beat Cray Wanderers so convincingly last Sunday.

But there was no repeat of that confident performance in the opening half hour, as Leatherhead stumbled time and again to contain the attacking threats from relegation-certainties Aveley.

An uncharacteristic slip from Dan Dean allowed Abs Thompson through on the corner of the Leatherhead penalty area after 24 minutes. Thompson squared the ball to Billy Holland, who cracked a shot straight at Chico Ramos from twelve yards. Ramos spread himself well and took the sting out of the shot before gathering the ball.

There was further danger for Leatherhead five minutes later as Aveley’s Paul Burnett was not closed down before shooting from the edge of the box, with Ramos having to make another good save to turn the ball away for a corner.

Greg Andrews has so often been an impact player for the Tanners and once again he made the telling pass for Leatherhead’s opening goal after 32 minutes.

Andrews won possession just inside the visitors’ half and picked out Hutchings running towards the Aveley area. Hutchings skilfully controlled Andrews’ delivery with one touch before volleying the ball over goalkeeper Lemar Johnson and into the roof of the net with a superb finish.

Johnson was fortunate to stay on the pitch a few minutes later after rushing out of his area and colliding with Harry Ottaway. The referee decided that Leatherhead had not been denied a goal scoring opportunity and only cautioned the Aveley keeper.

Leatherhead missed out on a good chance for a second goal, as Andrews and Hutchings broke clear in the Aveley half before Andrews fired wide.

But that miss was quickly put to one side as Tanners doubled their lead on the stroke of half time. This time Hutchings took the ball past the last Aveley defender before unselfishly playing it back to Andrews for a simple tap in.

The visitors never really threatened in the second half, as Leatherhead set about building on their lead.

Harry Ottaway and Vernon Francis both missed good chances late in the game, but the Tanners defence ensured Chico Ramos has little to do in the latter stages as Leatherhead ran out comfortable winners.

Leatherhead: Ramos, Coyle, Gross, Dean, Nnamani, Simmons, Thompson (Manners 79), Holness, Ottaway, Hutchings (Terry 75), Andrews (Francis 71). Unused subs: R Hill, Richmond.

By Rod Ellis

Cray Wanderers 1 (Darvill) Leatherhead 2 (Ottaway, Hutchings)

Leatherhead boosted their chances of Ryman Premier League survival with a thoroughly deserved victory against Cray Wanderers on Sunday.

Tanners have enjoyed playing away from home on Sundays this season. They now have the proud record of played three, won three, having beaten Hendon in November and Kingstonian in December. This time it was Cray Wanderers’ turn to meet the full force of a Sunday Leatherhead side.

Harry Ottaway and Tommy Hutchings gave Tanners a two-goal half time lead before the hosts pulled one back in the 85^th minute to make for a nerve racking finish at Hayes Lane, played with an unaccountable ten minutes of injury time. 

Leatherhead went into the match full of optimism after their main rivals at the foot of the table all lost on Saturday, presenting Tanners with an ideal opportunity to reduce their six point deficit on 18th placed Harrow Borough.

Manager Richard Brady welcomed Greg Andrews back to the Tanners starting line up following a two month loan period at Walton & Hersham.

Leatherhead pressed forward from the kick off, with Andrews playing as a catalyst for everything going into Cray’s half.

Andrews had two stabs at goal in the opening three minutes, sending a touch from Ottaway wide from the edge of the box before latching on to another loose ball to fire wide from 20 yards.

Tanners opened the scoring with a well worked free kick in the 12^th minute. Andrews whipped the ball in from just outside the left hand corner of the penalty area and there were no defenders covering Ottaway, as he rose unchallenged to head home at the far post.

Cray showed little resistance to a determined Tanners side who kept pushing forward at every opportunity.

Leatherhead’s first half dominance paid off with a second goal in the 23^rd minute. Wands centre back Tyrone Sterling lost possession on the half way line to Ottaway, who quickly fed the ball through to Hutchings.

Leatherhead’s top scorer had no one between him and goalkeeper Andy Walker and bided his time before skilfully planting his shot over the keeper with a sublime finish from the edge of the area.

Elliott Thompson was unlucky not to provide a third goal for the visitors just before the interval, receiving a Jamie Coyle throw in and beating two Cray defenders with his pace before forcing a good save from Walker.

Wands manager Ian Jenkins was so frustrated by his team’s first half performance that he sent them out onto the pitch five minutes before the restart to take instructions from his assistant, Joe Francis.

The public dressing down must have had the desired effect as Cray gradually worked their way back into the match, with Tommy Whitnell testing Leatherhead keeper Chico Ramos with a good shot on the hour mark.

Wands then wasted a good two minutes after being awarded a free kick just outside the Leatherhead penalty area. Three of their players stood a yard off the goal line – directly in front of Ramos – before the kick was taken, with the aim of unsettling the Leatherhead keeper. The routine failed, as the three ran back into an onside position once the referee had blown his whistle and the ball sailed harmlessly into the arms of Ramos.  

Cray substitute James Darvill eventually found room between four static Tanners defenders to head home a consolation goal, before Leatherhead had the chance to wrap up the points with two further chances at the end.

Ottaway leapt up to meet an Adam Gross corner, heading against the bar, before another breakaway saw the former Merstham forward shoot at the keeper in injury-time.

The victory gives Leatherhead a required lift as they prepare for the visit of fellow strugglers Aveley on Saturday with another crucial three points at stake.

Leatherhead: Ramos, Coyle, Gross, Nnamani, Dean, Simmons, Thompson (Manners 80), Holness, Ottaway, Hutchings (Terry 69), Andrews (Francis 58). Unused subs: R Hill, Richmond

Leatherhead’s opposition on Sunday have notified the club that there will be a special darts competition taking place prior to kick-off to reaise money for Sport Relief.

Cray Wanderers are holding a darts tournament in the bar at Hayes Lane.

Anyone who wished to enter must pay £2 and each entrant gets five darts. The person with the highest score from those five arrows is the winner and will be presented with a trophy.

The tournament begins at 2pm. Help raise more money for Sport Relief.

By Rod Ellis

Lewes 1 (Harding) Leatherhead 0

Harry Harding’s deflected free kick midway through the first half was enough to secure the points for Lewes. The goal kept the Rooks in the running for the playoffs, while Leatherhead’s woeful finishing ensured their goalscoring drought was extended to three barren matches.

A brief flurry of activity followed the introduction of Elliott Thompson on the hour mark, but apart from the Leatherhead sub’s snatched effort hitting the bar and a Tommy Hutchings shot well blocked by Lewes keeper Matt Ingram, there was little on offer from either side to entertain the crowd.

Manager Richard Brady made one change to the Leatherhead starting line-up, pairing the returning Jerry Nnamani with Dan Dean in central defence, while Jamie Coyle moved across to right back to replace Ryan Andrew.

Tanners started brightly. Coyle got a good cross into the box from the right after 12 minutes, but Hutchings fired over from eighteen yards.

Lewes had a shot from Nathan Crabb blocked by Nnamani before stretching Leatherhead’s defence to the full, launching a succession of aerial bombardments in the visitors’ penalty area.

Rooks went in front on 23 minutes after Paul Booth was brought down just outside the left hand corner of the Tanners’ penalty area. Harding’s free kick took a huge deflection off the Leatherhead wall and sped past the committed goalkeeper, Chico Ramos.

Tanners responded brightly and Charlie Holness should have done better with a shot on target after receiving a square pass from skipper Mark Simmons on the half hour mark.

Billy Manners had a great opportunity to equalise on the stroke of half time, but fired over from twelve yards out.

Manners squandered an even better chance after 56 minutes. Coyle hit another good cross into the box but the unmarked Manners headed wide from ten yards out with the goal in his sight.

Manners made way for Thompson on the hour mark and the midfielder immediately injected some much needed pace into Leatherhead’s attack. Harry Ottaway’s cross from the right was flicked against the woodwork, before Hutchings, Simmons and Vernon Francis all pinged the ball around the Lewes six yard box, as though it were a giant pinball table, before the Rooks could eventually clear their lines.     

Lewes rarely managed to get the ball into the visitors’ penalty area in the second half and they failed to test Ramos with anything of note in the final half hour.

Leatherhead’s last roll of the dice came with Kev Terry and Malachi Hudson, a new striker signed on loan from Welling United, replacing Francis and Hutchings for the final 15 minutes.

There was a late chance to equalise after 86 minutes. Simmons sent in a long corner from the left, Coyle played it back into the middle of the box from the right, before Simmons fired over from twelve yards.

The defeat leaves Harrow Borough six points above Leatherhead in the battle to avoid the drop and with a game in hand. Harrow play at relegation-bound Aveley on Saturday, so by the time Tanners travel to Cray Wanderers on Sunday, their uphill task may just have become even harder.

Leatherhead’s one ray of hope is the level of uncertainty hanging over several cash-strapped clubs higher up the football pyramid. A post end-of-season reprieve may yet be their best chance of avoiding the drop.

Leatherhead: Ramos, Coyle, Gross, Nnamani, Dean, Simmons, Francis (Hudson 75), Holness, Ottaway, Hutchings (Terry 75), Manners (Thompson 60). Unused subs: R Hill, Richmond

By Rod Ellis

Leatherhead 0 Billericay Town 2 (May, Chatting)    

Leatherhead missed out on another chance to ease their relegation fears with a defeat against league leaders Billericay on Saturday. Tanners remain fourth from bottom, six points behind drop zone rivals Hastings and Harrow Borough with only eight games remaining.

Jay May put the visitors ahead after 40 minutes before Harrison Chatting capitalised on a second half defensive error for a simple tap in.

Leatherhead manager Richard Brady knew the importance of preparing well for the visit of the league leaders but was disappointed with the way his side conceded the two goals.

“We didn’t defend set pieces and if you don’t do that against Billericay then you are going to come unstuck. We knew exactly the scale of what we faced today. We went through everything in training, but we still managed to shoot ourselves in the foot.”

Billericay had their first chance after three minutes, Tanners failed to clear a cross and May’s tight angled shot was blocked by keeper Chico Ramos at the near post.

Leatherhead’s only real hope of getting their noses in front was on the counter attack. After 13 minutes Tommy Hutchings broke clear and launched a thunderous 25 yard shot which Blues keeper Dale Brightly did well to turn over for a corner.

Billericay’s well organised back four swept up everything Leatherhead threw at them, while their sensible short passing display ensured they never gave away possession too easily.

Tanners came under pressure when Chris Wild headed wide from a corner after 36 minutes, before Ramos made a reflex save to turn away a powerful header from Courtenay White.

The opening goal came after Leatherhead gave away a needless free kick just inside their own half. Dave Collis hit a perfectly weighted cross for May to out jump his marker and nod the ball home.

Blues continued to control the game in the second half and added to their lead in the 70th minute. A cross was misjudged by Leatherhead’s Jamie Coyle, allowing Harrison Chatting to steal into the box unopposed to turn the ball past Ramos.  

Leatherhead: Ramos, Andrew, Gross, Coyle, Dean, Simmons, Francis (Thompson 62), Holness, Ottaway, Hutchings (Richmond 86), Manners (Terry 73). Unused subs: R Hill, Nnamani

By Rod Ellis

Margate 0 Leatherhead 0  

Leatherhead picked up a point against Margate on Saturday in this instantly forgettable goalless draw.

While Leatherhead had ended a run of poor results with a win against Harrow Borough last weekend, Margate came into this match on the back of an even worse sequence of results – six defeats and a draw from their last seven League outings.

So going by current form, even the most optimistic supporter from either side would have anticipated little in the way of excitement from this match. And so it proved.

Margate decided that their best way forward was to pump long balls into the heart of Leatherhead’s penalty area. Central defenders Jamie Coyle and Dan Dean stood firm all afternoon and comfortably dealt with everything that was thrown at them.

The opening ten minutes failed to produce even the remotest chance of a goal at either end, with play breaking down time and again as long aimless balls were delivered from both sets of players.

Tanners had their first sniff at goal after 14 minutes after Dan Stubbs fouled Billy Manners near the corner of the Margate penalty area. Mark Simmons floated in a well weighted free kick, but the delivery was just too deep for the advancing Harry Ottaway and the chance was lost.

Ottaway and Simmons combined well after 28 minutes, with the former Merstham target man winning possession near the Margate dead ball line and playing it back to the Leatherhead captain on the edge of the box. Simmons’ powerful strike produced a good low save from goalkeeper Simon Overland.

Gate created the one memorable moment of the match on the half hour mark. A half clearance from the Leatherhead defence fell to Curtis Robinson, who hit a delicious curling 25 yarder which thundered against the crossbar before being put behind for a corner. Margate defender Dean Hill stole into the box unmarked to get his head to the ball, but Leatherhead keeper Chico Ramos reacted quickly to make a comfortable save.

Gate almost stole the lead in first half injury time, but Tom Bradbrook’s powerful shot was well blocked by Ramos.

The second half got off to a slow start with little in the way of creativity shown from either side. Leatherhead manager Richard Brady decided to shake things up a bit with a double substitution after 53 minutes, as Ryan Dolby and Elliott Thompson replaced Ottaway and Charlie Holness.

Just before the hour mark, Simmons created half a chance for Leatherhead, jinking his way past two Gate defenders before firing over from the edge of the area.

Margate’s best chance in the second period was foiled once again by Ramos, as a long range shot from Matt Bodkin was well saved by the Leatherhead keeper after 78 minutes.

Adam Gross almost stole the points for the visitors four minutes later. The Leatherhead full back played a clever one two with Kev Terry, who teed up the ball up for Gross to fire wide from just outside the box.

The over-riding memory of this match will be the poor quality of distribution from both sets of players. The fact that this was the first time that Leatherhead had not conceded a goal in two consecutive matches this season – and we are now into March – shows just how hard it has been for them to adjust to the extra pace of life in the Ryman Premier Division.

Leatherhead: Ramos, Andrew, Gross, Coyle, Dean, Simmons, Francis, Holness (Thompson 53), Ottaway (Dolby 53), Hutchings (Terry 67), Manners. Unused subs: R Hill, Richmond

By Rod Ellis

Leatherhead 2 (Francis, Holness) Harrow Borough 0

Goals from Vernon Francis and Charlie Holness gave Leatherhead three vital points in this relegation dog fight against Harrow Borough on Saturday.

Francis headed Tanners into a first half lead and substitute Holness sealed the points with a well directed shot midway through the second half.

Leatherhead manager Richard Brady had a pre-match selection headache as Holness, down to make his first start for Tanners after a loan signing from Crystal Palace, was held up in traffic on his way to Fetcham Grove.

The number 6 shirt was given to Elliott Thompson, while Holness went on the subs bench, after eventually arriving at the ground just minutes before kick off.

It was a stroke of good fortune for Leatherhead, as Thompson lit up the first half with an unerring desire to win the ball and run with it.

Thompson set up Leatherhead’s first chance as early as the third minute, taking the ball down to the bye-line before playing back for Tom Hutchings to shoot at goal. Hutchings’ shot went wide of the post, but Leatherhead had put down an early marker that they meant business.

The visitors offered little in the way of any resistance. Harry Ottaway won possession on the half way line after 17 minutes, and picked out Thompson on the edge of the area.  The pacy midfielder saw Harrow keeper Jack Bonham off his line and lobbed a shot over his head and just wide of goal.

Tanners’ onslaught was rewarded with a goal after 29 minutes. Thompson delivered the ball out wide to the right for Billy Manners to send in a perfectly weighted cross for Francis to head home from close range.

Leatherhead almost doubled their lead two minutes later. Once more Manners provided a tempting delivery from the right for Francis to hit a thunderous shot, only for Bonham to pull off a great save, as he tipped the ball onto the bar.

Tanners dominated possession in the opening period and should have had a bigger lead going into the break.

Boro came out fighting in the second half and nearly equalised after 48 minutes. Rob Wolleaston produced a fine shot from well outside the area, to force a good block from Tanners keeper Chico Ramos.

Boro’s best chance came after 64 minutes when Danny Buckle won possession in Tanners’ six yard box and forced another fine close range save from Ramos.

Thompson then made way for Holness and the new signing made a perfect start, scoring with almost his first touch of the ball after 69 minutes. Hutchings won possession on the right and jinked his way past two Boro defenders before squaring a pass for Holness to tuck home in the left hand corner.

Boro looked down and out by this stage and they nearly conceded a third in the dying minutes when Colin Richmond fired wide with the goal in his sight.

Leatherhead’s slender survival hopes remain intact.

Leatherhead: Ramos, Andrew, Gross, Coyle, Dean, Thompson (Holness 66), Francis, Simmons, Ottaway, Hutchings (Richmond 82), Manners (Terry 72). Unused subs: R Hill, Diedhiou

Midfield man Vernon Francis has called on the club’s supporters to get behind the team this afternoon.

The Tanners face a crucial must-win game against Harrow Borough today, and Francis knows the loyal Leatherhead fans can cheer the team on to victory.

He said: “We’ve all got to chip in, we’ve all got to stand up and be counted.

“We need a bit of atmosphere to get the team up for it. The fans do turn out in their numbers, but we need a little bit more, the support at the play-off final was unbelievable, I’m hoping we can get a bit more, get behind us and hopefully we’ll all do it together.

“The play-off final here, the stadium was full and the atmosphere was amazing, the supporters were the 12th man that day and we need the supporters to come out and get behind the team. Harrow is a game we can win and the fans can play a big part.”

Kick-off is at 3pm. Get down to the Grove and support the team.

Leatherhead’s match away at Lewes, which was called off because of the snow, has been rearranged.

The fixture at the Dripping Pan will now take place on Wednesday, March 21, with kick-off at 7.45pm.

There are 20 places available for the Leatherhead Football Club Youth Academy.

Trials are being held in the Easter holidays and during the June half term for a place in the academy set up in September.

The youth academy programme combines high quality football development with academic qualifications to support a player’s future.

The Tanners have teamed up with Therfield School to deliver this programme.

The school has been a specialist sports college since 2005 and students will study a BTEC Level Three extended diploma in sport or a BTEC Level Two in public services. There is also an opportunity to gain FA levels one and two coaching certificates.

In addition to the education package, players will be coached and managed as an elite group by UEFA B license coach, Perry Gough.

Training sessions will be delivered for six hours per week during the school day with the academy team being entered into the Conference Youth League on Wednesday afternoons against the top non-league clubs.

So if you are in year 11 or year 12 and would like to combine your education with football, book a place on a trial by emailing perry_gough@hotmail.co.uk or by calling him on 07429 589299.