Badshot Lea 2 Leatherhead 3
Leatherhead secured an end of season play-off spot with a 3-2 win at Badshot Lea on
Thursday.
Goals from Trevan Robinson, Tyler Cox and Ibrahim Olutade gave Tanners a three
goal lead inside the opening half hour before the hosts hit back with late strikes from
Lamin Ceesay and Kareem Akinnibi.
This was Badshot’s fifth game in ten days, having fallen victim to the incessant wet
weather over the last few months which caused numerous postponements at their
Operatix stadium. Leatherhead, by contrast, went into this thrice re-arranged fixture
having not played a competitive match since 6 April.
The young Badshot squad showed no apparent signs of fatigue with Akinnibi turning
and firing wide from the edge of the visitors’ box after five minutes.
But Tanners took full advantage of a momentary slip in the Baggies defence to open
the scoring four minutes later.
Leatherhead skipper Kenny Beaney delivered a looping corner into the heart of the
penalty area and while Olutade’s initial shot was blocked, Badshot failed to clear and
the ball ran on invitingly to Robinson, who slammed it home from a wide angle.
The hosts came close to levelling on 21 minutes when George Hedley headed the ball
against the top of Leatherhead’s crossbar.
Tanners hit back and doubled their lead three minutes later. Robinson played the ball
forward to Cox who struck a firm low shot into the corner of the net.
It should have been ‘game over’ on 28 minutes after the visitors scored their third
goal of the night. Beaney whipped a fierce kick into the box from the left and Olutade
got the faintest of touches to steer the ball past goalkeeper Harry Cawdron.
Badshot somehow found the energy to step up a gear in the second half. Amadou
Tangara made a fine save to deny Anuar Ceesay on 48 minutes and the Tanners
keeper blocked a solid breakaway effort from Lamin Ceesay midway through the half.
Leatherhead missed a couple of good opportunities to extend their lead in the closing
half hour. Olutade set up a chance for Robinson on 68 minutes but the Tanners
forward fired over from the edge of the box. And two minutes later Cawdron did well
to deny Cox with another good block.
Lamin Ceesay pulled a goal back for the hosts from the penalty spot on 74 minutes
after being nudged off the ball by a Leatherhead defender. Ceesay calmly struck his
spot kick low to Tangara’s left and into the corner of the net.
Akinnibi set up a tense finale with Badshot’s second goal on 79 minutes. The former
Met Police forward took full advantage of a mix up in the Tanners defence to steal
into the box and fire past Tangara.
But Leatherhead did well to stifle any further attacks from the hosts and comfortably
saw out the closing minutes without allowing the Baggies another shot at goal.
Tanners return to league action on Saturday when they visit Hanworth Villa. A win or
draw will be sufficient to guarantee Leatherhead a second or third place finish and
give them home advantage in the play-off semi-finals on Wednesday 1 May.
Badshot Lea: Harry Cawdron, Nick Medcraft, Cameron Rohart-Brown, George
Hedley (Kwadwo Kyei 70), Callum Wiltshire, Joshua Keeya, Lamin Ceesay, Kane
Fitzgerald, Kareem Akinnibi, Anuar Ceesay (David Garlinge 77), Baback Dehgani
(Tane Caudo 90)
Leatherhead: Amadou Tangara, Alpha Diallo (Jamie Splatt 76), Fabio Saraiva, Fikayo
Atewologun, Ollie Cook, Tyler Cox, Gus Sow, Kenny Beaney, Ibrahim Olutade
Trevan Robinson (Daniel Hector 76), Trey Masikini (Omarr Lawson 81)