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Ryman League Division One South - 8th April 2010
Met Police 1- 3 Leatherhead
Leatherhead recovered from the shock of conceding after just 19 seconds to record a seventh successive victory and move up to 4th place in the Ryman 1 South as the season enters what could prove to be a thrilling climax for the Club.
Met Police, clearly smarting after their 2-0 reverse at Fetcham Grove only 48 hours earlier, were quick out of the blocks and when Vernon Francis advanced on a loose ball 25 yards from goal he had no hesitation in thumping a first time shot which arced over the despairing Colin Harris and under the bar to give the hosts an immediate lead.
However, this setback simply shook Leatherhead into action and with their tenacious midfield trio of Elliot Thompson, Mark Simmons and Luke Pigden turning up the heat they began to overpower and outplay a very physical Police team, overcoming the early loss of Tommy Hutchings to an ankle injury with just 10 minutes played.
Indeed it was Hutching’s replacement, the speedy looking Gabriel Odunaike, who played a large part in the equaliser on 20 minutes, as he raced onto a through ball and was clattered by Police keeper Mo Mann, just outside the area.
The referee allowed play to continue and Mann, caught in two minds whether to stay down or get back to his goal was left powerless as Luke Pigden sent a 40 yard shot sailing over his head into the net for the equaliser.
It very nearly got worse for the Mets as Drewett was fortunate to only see yellow for a dreadful two footed lunge, and then Mann spilt Pigden’s fierce drive but the ball was hacked clear with Kev Terry about to pounce.
If the vocal away support were pleased by their team’s first half showing, come the second period Tanners simply stepped up a gear again and blew Met Police away.
On 50 minutes Odunaike showed the home defence a clean pair of heels as he raced clear and slotted home and that seemed to knock the stuffing out of the home team.
Ten minutes later, Odunaike burst clear again, but this time a heavy first touch led to him firing wide, but Mann in the home goal carried on his challenge well after the ball had gone and ensured that that was the last part that Odunaike would play as he was helped from the field to be replaced by Greg Andrews.
Leatherhead were incensed but again the overly lenient referee let it go, and from then on a series of poor challenges followed as the Met Police vented their frustration.
Tanners kept their collective cool though and Kev Terry nearly increased the lead with a skimming drive that went inches wide, then Andrews had a close range header well held by Mann.
As the clock ticked down and it seemed that Leatherhead were content to keep the ball in the corner, a clever pass released Marc Simmons and he waltzed into the right hand side of the area before crashing a shot into the top corner from a the tightest of angles to seal the victory.
Leatherhead: Harris, Coke, Boulter, Dean, Goodwell, Macleod, Simmons, Pigden, Thompson, Hill, Hutchings (Odunaike) (Andrews)
Match Report by Sir Richard Wilkinson of Brockham Manor