Leatherhead 2 Bognor Regis Town 0

(Elston, Hutchings)

Leatherhead progressed to the 4^th Round of the Championship Manager Cup with an emphatic win against Bognor Regis Town on Tuesday.

The Tanners gave another quick fire performance from start to finish and never allowed their Premier Division opponents to settle.

Leatherhead had a great opportunity to take the lead after 5 minutes when Tommy Hutchings turned his marker on the edge of the box. Hutchings’ cross found Marc Elston in space in front of goal but he was unable to control the ball and his shot ballooned over.

Bognor could barely get the ball out of their own half in the opening ten minutes as Leatherhead poured players forward.

Elliott Thompson made a good run to feed Mark Simmons on the edge of the box but Simmons saw his well struck shot well blocked by a Rocks defender.

The Tanners kept up their pressure and the first goal duly arrived after 11 minutes. Some intricate footwork from Simmons found Elston running into the visitors’ area. With his first touch Elston rounded the keeper and he guided it home with his next.

Leatherhead played with the same pace that had been so effective against Chatham on Saturday while Bognor’s passing was largely unproductive.

Tanners continued to push forward at the start of the second half in search of another goal. Elliot Thompson found Simmons on the edge of the box on 47 minutes but the resulting shot was well saved by Pernecky.

Moments later the Bognor keeper was fortunate when clearing a back pass from one of his defenders. The ball fell to the feet of Elston but this time his speculative effort sailed over the bar.

Following the blistering pace of the opening period Leatherhead began to show signs of tiring and Bognor’s passing began to improve. The Rocks best chance of the night came after 52 minutes when Luke Nightingale got into a good position but headed just wide.

The Tanners continued to look dangerous on the break and they doubled their lead after 65 minutes. Elliott Thompson broke down the right and delivered a cross into the heart of a crowded Bognor area. The defence failed to clear the ball and Hutchings buried it in the back of the net.

Simmons and Julian Thompson each had chances to increase Leatherhead’s lead in the final ten minutes. But the Tanners were comfortable winners on the night and now go on to play at Godalming Town in the next round.

Leatherhead: Colin Harris, Jon Coke, Adam Goodwell, Chris Boulter, Dan Dean, Rob Hill (Jamie Beer), Matt Francis (Josh Smith), Mark Simmons, Marc Elston, Tommy Hutchings (Julian Thompson), Elliott Thompson.

Bognor Regis Town: Andrej Pernecky, James Crane, Jack Clarke, Lewis Ide, Tim Bond, Mickey Demetriou, Sam Tucknott (Dan Bogarde), Michael Birmingham, Gary Norgate (Jason Prior), Luke Nightingale, Dan Beck

Match Report by Rod Ellis