Leatherhead 1 Guernsey 0
Leatherhead secured another vital three points thanks to a second half penalty from
skipper Kane Fitzgerald in a tightly contested match against Guernsey.
Tanners were reduced to ten men for the final half hour after centre back Alex Pearce
was sent off following a heavy challenge on a Guernsey player. And with the match
still goalless at that stage, it was hard to see where a breakthrough would come from.
But on 72 minutes Ty Butler was upended in the Green Lions’ penalty area and
Fitzgerald stepped up to bury the spot kick.
Following Saturday’s emphatic 3-0 win against Ascot Town, Leatherhead should
have found the Channel Islanders an easier side to break down. But the well organised
visitors offered few opportunities in an uneventful opening half.
Rhys Murrell Williamson came close for the hosts on 26 minutes when his in-
swinging corner clipped the top of the Green Lions’ crossbar.
Tanners had the ball in the net five minutes later, but Ruben Bartlett-Antwi’s effort
was ruled out for offside.
Guernsey missed a chance to break the deadlock in first half added time. Brandon
Wallace’s initial shot was well blocked by the Tanners’ defence before Charlton
Gauvin’s follow up effort went wide.
The second half was much more open, with both sides pushing players further
forward in search of a breakthrough. Murrell Williamson struck a long-range effort
just over the bar for Tanners on 49 minutes.
But Leatherhead were reduced to ten men on 58 minutes after Pearce caught an
advancing Guernsey player with a heavy challenge on the halfway line.
The visitors went close five minutes later when Charlton Gauvin struck a fierce long-
range drive, forcing a fine low save from Tanners’ keeper Sonny Wheeler.
A double substitution on 63 minutes made a difference for the hosts, with Marco
Haigh and Alfie Huckle replacing Anuar Ceesay and Kenny Beaney. The fresh legs
injected more pace into Leatherhead’s attacks, with both players prepared to run at
defenders and cause problems at the back for the visitors.
Haigh did well to get past a Guernsey defender at the byline and pick out Huckle with
a good delivery. But the former Westfield midfielder fired narrowly wide from close
range.
The decisive breakthrough came on 72 minutes after Leatherhead were awarded a
penalty. Bartlett-Antwi played a ball through to Ty Butler in the Green Lions’ area,
but the Tanners striker was clearly upended by a defender as he lined up to shoot.
Fitzgerald stepped up and calmly beat goalkeeper Josh Addison with the spot kick,
firing low into the corner of the net.
Guernsey fought back with Jacques Gauvin testing Wheeler with a long-range effort
before Tanners were given a chance to increase their lead.
On 82 minutes Haigh was brought down 25 yards from goal. Fitzgerald struck a
superb free kick over a wall of defenders, but Addison did well to tip the goal-bound
effort over the bar for a corner.
The win sees Leatherhead move up to ninth place in the table and only four points
behind fifth-placed Hartley Wintney, with the prospect of an end of season play off
place still very much alive for Tanners.
Leatherhead return to action on Saturday when they visit Raynes Park Vale. Kick-off
is at 3.00pm.
Leatherhead: Sonny Wheeler, Anuar Ceesay (Marco Haigh 63), Cameron Black, Rhys
Murrell Williamson (Ty Butler 71), Kenny Beaney (Alfie Huckle 63), Kareem
Akinnibi (Kelvin Masango 81), Alex Pearce, George Hedley, Niran Butler, Ruben
Bartlett-Antwi (Adam Morley 87), Kane Fitzgerald
Guernsey: Josh Addison, Tom Dodds, Charlton Gauvain (Owen Wallbridge 74), Fin
Du Port (Sebastian Vance50), Brandon Wallace, Alex Ward, Jaques Gauvin, Finlay
Patterson, Jacob Fallaize, Zachary Gilman, Ben Solway