Horley Town 3 Leatherhead 3
(Leatherhead win 4-3 on penalties)
by Rod Ellis
Leatherhead advanced to the last sixteen of the Surrey Senior Cup following a tense
penalty shoot-out against Combined Counties Premier side Horley Town.
With the scores level at 3-3 after 90 minutes, Tanners prevailed in the spot-kick
lottery to win 4-3, thanks to two fine saves from substitute keeper Toby McKimm.
Tanners took the lead after 12 minutes, when Archie Burnett’s shot took a heavy
deflection off Horley defender Matt Rapson.
The hosts levelled on 23 minutes, following a string of one-touch passes that wound
their way through the Tanners defence, culminating in a fine finish from George
Membrillera.
Dan Hector tested George Branton with a long range shot on the half hour mark, but
the Horley keeper did well to block the Leatherhead striker’s effort with his legs.
The hosts took the lead on 47 minutes, thanks to an uncharacteristic poor clearance
from Slav Huk. The Leatherhead keeper was well off his line when he punted the ball
up field, only to see it drop invitingly for Horley’s Callum Retter, who calmly lobbed
Huk from forty yards – much to the delight of the home supporters.
Leatherhead were back on level terms within five minutes, thanks to a second Horley
own goal. Reise Allassani sent a piercing cross into the six-yard box from the left and
defender Aaron Munday got the final touch to send the ball past his keeper.
The visitors restored their lead following a controversial penalty awarded on 69
minutes. Lewis Pearch crossed the ball into the box and skipper Dave Tarpey fell
heavily as he swivelled round a Horley defender. Tarpey stepped up to send the spot-
kick firmly into the corner of the net.
There followed a series of substitutions from both benches, including a brave decision
from Leatherhead manager Hayden Bird to bring on the young McKimm for his
senior debut in goal.
In the closing minutes there was still time remaining for one final twist in this
absorbing cup tie, as Horley’s Adam Grant was bundled off the ball in the
Leatherhead penalty area. With the clock moving into stoppage time, Louis Chin
calmly stepped forward and sent the spot-kick past McKimm to level the scores at 3-3
and take the tie to a penalty shoot-out.
Leatherhead took the first spot-kick and Louis Collins fired home with ease before
McKimm saved from Horley’s Grant. Keane Anderson fired Leatherhead’s second
penalty against the bar only for Chin levelled things at 1-1 with another firmly driven
spot-kick for Horley.
Brandon got down well to save Tarpey’s effort for Tanners before Jimmy Williams
put Horley 2-1 ahead with another precisely taken penalty. Leatherhead’s Hector
levelled at 2-2, before Ben Remfry fired over for the hosts.
Olly Allen struck Leatherhead’s fifth penalty firmly past Branton, before Whyte made
it all-square at 3-3 with another firmly driven effort for Horley.
And so after five penalties a-piece it went to sudden death. Archie Burnett stepped up
to give the visitors a 4-3 lead, before McKimm took all the plaudits for Leatherhead
and heartbreak for Horley, diving low to his left to keep out Munday’s firmly driven
effort.
Leatherhead’s reward is a third-round home tie against Isthmian League Division One
Central rivals Chertsey Town.
Horley Town: George Branton, Matt Rapson, Owen Ansell (Liam Steer 71), Jack
Poplett, Aaron Munday, Louis Chin, Josh Rapson (Ben Remfry 78), Callum Retter,
George Membrillera (Cordell Whyte 45), Adam Grant, Lee Peacock Jimmy Williams
65)
Leatherhead: Slavomir Huk (Toby McKimm 74), Fikayo Atewologun, Louis Collins,
Michael Elechi (Olly Allen 90), Jerry Puemo, Archie Burnett, Lewis Pearch (Thomas
Unsworth 74), Keane Anderson (Jake Eales 74), Dave Tarpey, Dan Hector, Reise
Allasani (Adam Neal 90)