VLeatherhead 1 - 3 Corinthian-Casuals (aet)
(Graham) (Boosey, Harrison, Ogbanufe)
Leatherhead crashed out of the Surrey Senior Cup at the first hurdle with a poor performance against their Ryman League neighbours Corinthian-Casuals.
The Tanners opened strongly and took an early lead after only two minutes. A clearance from Craig Bradshaw was headed on by Kwabena Agyei into the path on Zak Graham and the winger calmly lobbed the ball from the edge of the box over the stranded keeper and into the goal.
But despite their early lead, Leatherhead were unable to create many chances in the first half. Casuals worked their way back into the match with Jamal Carr and Scott Corbett testing Bradshaw with long range shots.
Leatherhead had a great opportunity to increase their lead midway through the half. Bradshaw threw the ball out to Graham who ran the length of the pitch before delivering a cross to an advancing Agyei who headed just wide from six yards out.
At the start of the second half Casuals defender Scott Hassell fell awkwardly going into a tackle and had to be stretchered off. He was replaced by former Tanners playmaker Wes Harrison who was to have a major impact for Casuals on his return to Fetcham Grove.
Casuals equalised after 54 minutes. The visitors were given room on a number of occasions to run through the middle of the Tanners defence unchallenged. This time their efforts paid off, with the Tanners midfield players failing to pick up Glenn Boosey. The former Sutton and Met Police striker collected the ball at the half way line and set off down the middle of the park before hitting a scorching shot past Bradshaw from 30 yards.
Leatherhead were given a golden opportunity to retake the lead on 67 minutes. Tommy Hutchings took the ball to the edge of the Casuals area. Goalkeeper Ricky Bowry could only parry Hutchings’ effort into the path of the advancing Morgan. But with the goal at his mercy, Morgan blasted his shot against the bar from six yards out.
Casuals had a chance to win the tie in the dying moments of normal time. Carlton Murray-Price got past the Tanners defence and found Nicky Ogbanufe in the box in front of goal. Yet with no Leatherhead defender closing him down Ogbanufe rushed his shot and fired well wide of the goal.
In the opening period of extra time Harrison and Boosey worked well together to force another good save from Bradshaw. The pair combined again to put the visitors in front after 96 minutes. Boosey took a free kick from the edge of the Tanners area. He floated the ball over a wall of defenders and Harrison rose unchallenged from ten yards out to head home past Bradshaw.
With Leatherhead’s defence visibly deflated the Casuals sealed their win with a third goal a minute later. Ali Wiltshire sprinted down the wing and delivered a cross into the path of Ogbanufe who tapped the ball home from six yards.
Although there were no further goals and the tie had been generally played in a good spirit the referee dismissed Hassan Nyang with a straight red card in the dying minutes for a tackle on Casuals’ captain Tyrone Myton. It looked a very debateable decision as the Leatherhead midfielder appeared to be trying to avoid making direct contact with Myton as he went into the challenge.
Leatherhead: Craig Bradshaw, Jon Coke, Jack Holmes (Greg Andrews), Chris Boulter, Dan Dean, Hassan Nyang, Michael Morgan (Dean Gunner), Tom Horley, Kwabena Agyei (Julian Osuwu-Bekoe), Tommy Hutchings, Zak Graham
Match Report by Rod Ellis