Knaphill 0 Leatherhead 6
Leatherhead advanced to the quarter finals of the Surrey Senior Cup with a
comprehensive 6-0 win against Knaphill at Redding Way on Tuesday.
Tanners put out a full strength starting eleven against their Combined Counties
Premier Division South hosts and quickly demonstrated their extra pace and strength
in all departments.
The only downside to Leatherhead’s masterclass in attacking football was a first half
injury to Deondre Date following a late challenge from Knappers’ defender Andrew
Cooke, which could see the young striker side lined for some time.
The margin of victory could have been even wider had it not been for the exploits of
Knaphill keeper Sam Gray, who made a series of fine saves throughout the tie.
Gray was tested with less than two minutes played, turning behind a rasping shot from
Leatherhead’s Rhys Murrell-Williamson.
But Tanners continued to drive forward and opened the scoring on five minutes. Kane
Fitzgerald took the ball down the left to the by-line and timed his pass to perfection,
picking out an unmarked Lukas Franzen-Jones to head home from under the crossbar.
Date missed a couple of chances to add to Tanners’ early lead, forcing a fine low save
from Gray before firing another effort wide from in front of goal.
But Date’s match was cut short midway through the opening half after a bruising late
tackle from Cooke, with Tanners sub Ruben Bartlett-Antwi brought on to replace the
young striker.
Leatherhead keeper Sonny Wheeler was rarely tested but was forced to make a fine
save to deny Aidan King’s long range effort for Knaphill.
Tanners missed a chance to add a second on 29 minutes when Fitzgerald once again
outpaced his marker to set up another chance for Franzen-Jones, but this time he
flicked his close range effort over the bar.
But Franzen-Jones was not to be denied. On 33 minutes Bartlett-Antwi got forward to
force another good block from Gray. The loose ball rebounded from the keeper to the
Tanners sub who played it forward for Franzen-Jones to stab home with an
outstretched boot for his and Leatherhead’s second goal of the evening.
The dominant visitors went through a phase where they saw opportunities to score
from every attack. George Hedley fired wide and a Bartlett-Antwi long range effort
was well blocked by Gray before Tanners added a third on 42 minutes. This time
Franzen-Jones provided the cross and Bartlett-Antwi was well positioned for a close
range finish. In first half stoppage time Leatherhead added a fourth. George Hedley got his
name on the score sheet after the Knappers defence failed to make a clearance, leaving the young defender enough room to pick his spot and fire home through a crowded penalty area.
Wheeler was called into action again to deny Knaphill’s Matt Copeland with another
good save just before the interval.
Leatherhead made a string of changes for the second half with Rileigh Hebditch
replacing Wheeler in goal and Alfie Huckle, Franzen-Jones and Murrell-Williamson
making way for Jamarie Brissett, Anuar Ceesay and Ty Butler.
Tanners added a fifth goal on 67 minutes. Bartlett-Antwi delivered a fine cross from
the right, picking out Ceesay in the box to fire home. And Ty Butler completed the
scoring with another fine finish 89 minutes as the enveloping mist began to descend at
Redding Way.
Leatherhead return to league action on Saturday when they visit Kingstonian who are
ground sharing at Raynes Park Vale this season. Kick-off is at 3.00pm.
Knaphill: Sam Gray, James Glover, Michak Stanic Stewart, Andrew Cooke (Jack
Watts 45), Ellis Byrne (Dale Burnham 45), Aidan King (alex McLean 80), Matt
Copland (Jack Carrod 60), Zak Jabowski (David Orisatoki 70), Ross Murdoch,
George Sellick, Kingsley Anokye
Leatherhead: Sonny Wheeler (Rileigh Hebditch 45), Kelvin Manuel Massango, Niran
Butler, Cerny Ando, George Hedley, Tom Kavanagh, Kane Fitzgerald, Alfie Huckle
(Jamarie Brissett 45), Lukas Franzen-Jones (Anuar Ceesay 45),Deondre Date (Ruben
Bartlett-Antwi 24), Rhys Murrell-Williamson (Ty Butler 54)