Leatherhead 0 Hayes & Yeading United 1
George Sippetts’ breakaway goal on 89 minutes was enough for Hayes & Yeading
United to inflict a 1-0 defeat against Leatherhead at Fetcham Grove on Saturday.
Both sides created a number of openings in front of goal in a tense match that ebbed
and flowed from end to end across ninety minutes.
But it took Sippetts’ late strike to finally break the deadlock and lift United up to fifth
place in the table while leaving Tanners on four points from five league matches with
games in hand on all the clubs above them.
United started strongly, creating several breaks in Leatherhead’s half. With less than
two minutes played Kaylen Hinds broke clear of his marker before firing over from
the edge of the box.
On 20 minutes the visitors won a free kick just outside Leatherhead’s penalty area.
Herson Alves tested goalkeeper Sonny Wheeler with a dipping shot that was turned
behind, off the post, for a corner.
Tanners’ best chance of the opening half came on 35 minutes with a breakaway effort
from Kwesi Ntim. The young midfielder drew United keeper Juliusz Pazio off his line
before hitting a rising shot that clipped the top of the crossbar.
Both sides missed out on opportunities to break the deadlock in first half stoppage
time. Hinds tested Wheeler with a fierce drive from outside the box before
Leatherhead’s Matt Everitt went close at the other end, forcing a fine low save from
Pazio.
Tanners pressed forward in the second half, but were unable to produce a decisive
delivery to break down the visitors’ strong and resolute defence.
Leatherhead went close on 72 minutes. Jude Jeffrey pumped a wide-angled cross into
United’s penalty area, picking out Alex Laing at the far post. But the substitute’s well
directed header came back off the bar.
Laing missed another opportunity on 83 minutes. The widely travelled winger moved
forward into a great position in front of goal, but rushed his shot and fired wide with
only the keeper to beat.
United’s match winner came after Leatherhead striker Deondre Date lost possession
in the visitors’ half. With the clock ticking down, the ball was played forward to an
advancing Sippetts, who skilfully slid it past Wheeler to score from a wide angle.
Tanners return to league action on Tuesday when they travel to newly promoted
Moneyfields. Kick-off is at 7.45pm.
Leatherhead: Sonny Wheeler, Jude Jeffrey, Kelvin Manuel Massango, Alfie Huckle,
George Hedley, Niran Butler, Marco Haigh (Alex Laing 62), Kane Fitzgerald, Matt Everitt (Seb Karczewski 73), Kwesi Ntim (Rhys Murrell-Williamson 62), Deondre
Date
Hayes & Yeading Utd: Juliusz Pazio, Cole Brown (Wraynel Hercules 73), Adam
Martin, Keano Robinson, James Richmond, Kaylen Hinds, Jude Mason, Adrian
Clifton (Jonathan Hippolyte 81) Will Salmon, Herson Alves (George Sippetts 62),
Gabby Piorkowski (Jack Williams 84)