Bryant’s Bulletin: Aveley 1-2 Leatherhead

Saturday 12th September 2026
Isthmian League Premier Division – Aveley (A) 2-1

Aveley’s Parkside is, if a little lacking in character, a great ‘facility’. Top marks for the large free on-site car park, the smart roomy clubhouse, and plenty of covered terracing and seating. I do have a question though – why install a huge state-of-the-art scoreboard only to so criminally underuse it? It briefly sprang into life when a goal was scored (although at one point, it had us named as Cheshunt), or when a sub was made, but otherwise it just served
as a massive advertising board. I’m told the catering was also questionable – one discerning Tanner was served a still-frozen chicken burger. To be fair, their cheeseburger replacement received a more favourable review, but the chips? Not so much – only half made it into the belly; the other half were bound for the bin…

The day before, a post went out to advise that Tanners would be wearing their green home kit to avoid a colour clash with the host club. In the event, Aveley strolled out in all-white with the faintest of light blue trims. I think the real reason for requesting the change was that they just wanted to get their hands on our green shirts – a number of their players seemed determined to leave with one, and they weren’t even waiting until after the match. The shirt-pulling was off the scale, just one of the things the ref was content to let go for
most of the afternoon…

There are signs that Ian has settled on his preferred starting eleven, and Tanners took to the field in the familiar four-three-three formation. Nonetheless, Aveley made the early running, and they took the lead in the fifth minute through George Saunders, who tucked it into the bottom corner following Tanners’ failure to clear an initial header. Ten minutes later, the hosts had a good chance to increase their lead, but it was squandered as the ball
was hacked over the bar.

Tanners began to find their feet, and went close to an equaliser when, after twisting and turning to make the space, Harry got a shot away that was parried by the keeper. It fell to Kofi, but he couldn’t direct his shot the right side of the post. Cam also tried his luck from distance, but the ball cleared the bar. As the pressure increased, he then had a firm header saved by the home keeper, Charlie Turner, who it must be said had a very good game.

As the half wound down, Aveley got in down the right on a couple of occasions, one of which ended with Sonny needing to save at his near post. It looked as if we’d go in a goal down at the break, but if you’ve been paying attention for the last couple of years, you’ll know this – the Tanners don’t give up, and they are not averse to scoring injury-time goals. And whaddaya know, they did it again! Dicko crossed deep from the right for Kofi to head back across goal. I think that was the intention, but instead, the ball drifted goalwards,
dipping under the bar. A combination of bar and the keeper’s hands kept it out, but the ball bounced only as far as Anas, who stooped to just about head it over the line.

Halftime – Aveley 1, Tanners 1.
As the game restarted, the ref finally decided he should probably do something about the home side’s manhandling of our players, booking Jayden Gipson for attempting to disrobe Kofi. The passage of play that came from the accompanying free kick almost delivered a goal for the ages. Mark did well to not only retain possession in the corner, but to cut the ball back in for Cam on the edge of the six-yard box. His smart ‘chop’ turn gave him the room to shoot, but the shot was high and wide at the near post. Jacob may then have done better with a lob that took the same trajectory after he’d been put in on goal by Harry.

Aveley looked pretty rattled by now, and having seen the ref’s apparent reluctance to punish it for most of the game, they began to express their frustration in ever-more physical ways. Anas caught a boot in the face, and Charlie was shoved forcibly – two-handed in the chest – into the AstroTurf. Violent conduct and a red card? Yes please, ref. But no, after a period of contemplation, a yellow was all he saw fit to muster…

Ian rang the changes in the sixty-third minute, bringing on Braiden for Kofi and Marcel for Jacob in a pair of like-for-like subs to keep the gameplan going with fresh legs. Braiden in particular was exceptional – again. He only needed three minutes to make his presence felt. He headed a precise cross-field ball from Louie past his man, then brought it back inside again. All very neat, all very skilful. He then applied the coup de grace – an in-swinging ball
into what I believe proper pundits call ‘the corridor of uncertainty’. Anas nipped in to prod it past the keeper for two-one. A superb piece of play, and the Tanners now had the lead their general play and enterprise deserved.

As you’d expect from a side that has recently enjoyed National League South status, and that finished second last season, Aveley did have ‘moments’ as the game entered its final quarter. Sonny and Cam had to make telling interventions in quick succession to keep the lead intact. With nine minutes to go, we eventually got our first look at Woking loanee Kemall Wilson, coming on to replace Anas. I say “eventually” – the ref deemed that Anas had taken too long to leave field, resulting in a booking, and he then waited many more
minutes than the regulation one before allowing Kemal to enter the fray. Once on the pitch, the new man did well, making one particularly important tackle as the hosts tried to salvage
a point.

The ref suddenly went card-happy, kit man Mark Allan finding his way into the book. Dissent? He then added five minutes’ injury time, which felt light given the various stoppages. Tanners saw it out comfortably, and they might even have added a third. Louie
intercepted a pass in his own half, then rampaged down the right before squaring it to Harry in the centre. Three-one would have been deserved, but Harry’s curled shot went just the wrong side of the post. With the last kick of the game, he had another chance to score – not quite one on one, but with a clear sight of goal – he slowed up a touch too early and the combined attentions of two covering defenders meant the eventual shot rolled harmlessly into the keeper’s gloves.

Fulltime – Aveley 1, Tanners 2.

For me, that was our best performance of the season so far. Coming from behind at this level, all in the face of some very questionable officiating, is not easy to do, and it underlines again the ‘never say die’ attitude and togetherness we have come to expect from this
management and playing team. This was an impressive away win that nudges us back into the playoff places – the unbeaten league away record extending to twenty-six matches is the cherry on the icing on the cake. Next up, we’re back at The Grove for the visit of AFC Whyteleafe. The form and league tables appear to make us favourites, but we’ll see… COYT!