Corinthian-Casuals 2 Leatherhead 3
Leatherhead fought back from a two goal deficit to beat Corinthian-Casuals 3-2 with a
rallying performance at King George’s Field on Easter Monday.
Tanners conceded two first half goals before Ollie Cook restored parity with a
brace either side of half-time and Gus Sow scored a late penalty winner for the high
flying visitors.
Bottom of the table Casuals came into the match on the back of a dismal run of
twenty-two games without a win in all competitions. So no one predicted that the
unfancied hosts would take a two goal lead against an in form Tanners side boasting a
fine record of fifteen points from their last five outings.
With ten minutes played Casuals’ burly striker Melford Simpson tested Amadou
Tangara with a long range lob that the Tanners keeper kept out with a spectacular
flying save.
Tangara injured himself in the process but bravely continued to play on
after receiving some treatment on the pitch.
The Leatherhead goalkeeper was clearly out of sorts when Aderi Arthur-Dede drove
into the box unchallenged on 12 minutes to give the hosts an unlikely lead. Tangara
struggled on for another five minutes before being replaced in goal by substitute keeper Harvey Keogh, coming on to make his debut for The Tanners.
Leatherhead pressed forward in search of an equaliser and nearly scored when
Cook headed Omarr Lawson’s well directed cross straight to Casuals custodian Tom
Theobald.
Tanners were thwarted again moments later by two goal line clearances in quick
succession from the hosts’ defence.
With half an hour played Ibrahim Olutade produced a rapid turn and shot at goal from
twelve yards only for Theobald to block it on the line with an outstretched leg.
Casuals were always quick on the break and Keogh did well to get a hand to a rasping
shot from Arthur-Dede to deny the hosts a second goal on 36 minutes.
But Frazier Osunkoya was not to be denied, doubling the hosts’ lead two minutes later
with a low shot that flew into the corner of the net.
Things could have got even worse for Tanners when Exaucé Ditu hit another long
range effort towards goal, but the Casuals midfielder’s powerful shot just cleared the
top of the crossbar.
Leatherhead’s Trey Masikini had an opportunity to reduce the deficit after being put through by
Daniel Hector on 44 minutes, but instead Theobald was on hand to make the save for Casuals.
Tanners pulled a goal back in first half stoppage time with the hosts’
defence failing to clear up at the back, allowing Cook to stab the ball across the line.
Cook grabbed a second goal for the visitors to draw level with another close
range finish on 53 minutes.
Casuals tried to run down the clock in the final half hour with a number of their
players receiving treatment on the pitch for a series of minor knocks.
Tanners’ patience was eventually rewarded with a late winner on 89 minutes after
being awarded a penalty. .Olutade went down in the box following contact from a Casuals defender and Sow stepped up to strike the spot kick low to the keeper’s right., completing the comeback.
The referee should have awarded Leatherhead a second penalty deep in added time
after Hector was clearly manhandled off the ball in the box.
Casuals applied pressure late on with some well executed long balls into the box, but the Tanners defence stood tall and dealt with them well until the ref blew the final whistle.
But with Marlow’s match at Hartley Wintney called off, the win takes Leatherhead
three points clear of their play-off rivals into second place behind title favourites
Chertsey Town.
Next up for Tanners is Thursday’s rearranged league fixture at Badshot Lea before
another tough match awaits away to fifth-placed Southall on Saturday.
Corinthian-Casuals: Tom Theobald, Marc Lida-Gballou, Oscar Walton, Quade
Taylor, Sean Sankanu, Michael Samson, Andrew Herring (Jaedon Reynolds 71),
Exaucé Ditu (Anton Barnett 90), Melford Simpson, Aderi Arthur-Dede (Shyam Taank
58), Frazier Osunkoya
Leatherhead: Amadou Tangara (Harvey Keogh 18), Jerry Puemo, Fikayo
Atewologun, Jamie Splatt, Ollie Cook (Gus Sow 71), Omarr Lawson, Daniel Hector,
Kenny Beaney (Trevan Robinson 71), Ibrahim Olutade, Trey Masikini, Tyler