Metropolitan Police 0 Leatherhead 4
Leatherhead earned their second 4-0 win of the week with a commanding
performance against Met Police on Saturday.
Goals from Daniel Hector, Ollie Cook and two from Tommy Stagg saw Tanners
complete a comprehensive win at Imber Court.
Leatherhead manager Hayden Bird made one change to the eleven players that had
started against Chipstead in midweek, with Michael Elechi replacing Tyler Cox in a
left wing-back position.
Elechi made his mark in the opening half, outsmarting the Blues defence with a series
of deep probing runs with the ball down the left.
With five minutes played Elechi picked out Hector with a fine delivery from the by-
line. But the goal-hungry Tanners striker got his foot under the ball and fired over
from the edge of the box.
Blues offered little going forward although Shkyler Burrowes tested Leatherhead
goalkeeper Mikey Allen with a long range effort in a rare attack for the hosts after ten
minutes.
Blues’ custodian Liam Beach was kept busy throughout the match, pulling off a series
of fine saves to thwart the visitors.
Beach denied Stagg on 12 minutes, diving low to his left to turn the ball behind for a
corner.
But the Police were unable to hold up Elechi on 25 minutes as he weaved his way
around three defenders before picking out Hector with a pinpoint delivery to open the
scoring.
Hector missed out on a chance to add a second goal a minute later for the visitors. The
Tanners striker received the ball unchallenged in the middle of the Blues’ half but
rushed his shot and fired over from the edge of the box.
Beach denied Hector with another flying save on 32 minutes, turning the ball behind
for a Leatherhead corner.
The Blues defence had to deal with a succession of finely struck corners from Tanners
skipper Kenny Beaney.
The visitors’ persistence paid off as they doubled their lead from another Beaney
corner on 38 minutes. The experienced midfielder picked out Cook at the far post,
who bundled the ball over the line from close range.
Tanners nearly added a third goal just before half time. Beaney pumped a probing free
kick into the Blues’ penalty area, but Stagg’s glancing header flew over the bar.
Stagg almost chalked up his first Leatherhead goal on 55 minutes. The newly signed
Tanners striker latched onto a poor clearance from Beach and tried to take the ball
around the keeper. Beach bravely dived at Stagg’s feet to retrieve the ball and atone
for his earlier mistake.
But the Police keeper was at fault again on 77 minutes as he gifted the visitors with a
third goal.
With the ball at his feet and Stagg rapidly advancing, the hesitant keeper took too long
to make a clearance. The ball rebounded off Stagg’s outstretched leg and proceeded
towards the unprotected goal, with the Tanners front man making sure from a yard
out.
Deep into stoppage time the visitors added a fourth goal. With six minutes of added
time played Alpha Diallo set off on a mazy run down the right and picked out Stagg
in the six yard box, who fired home at the far post with what turned out to be the final
kick of the match.
The result sees Tanners move up to fourth place in the table as they prepare for the
visit of Badshot Lea to Fetcham Grove on Tuesday night for a re-arranged League
fixture.
Met Police: Liam Beach, Julien Saka (Alfie Walters 46), Kionte Gillfillian-Waul,
Charlie Brown, Laurence Ernest, Isaac Nkosi, Jack Phillips (Kareem Akinnibi 69),
Adam Green, Alex Body (Jamaal Sharpe 87), Mason Galloway, Shkyler Burrowes
Leatherhead: Mikey Allen, Alpha Diallo, Michael Elechi (Omarr Lawson 52), Fikayo
Atewologun, Ollie Cook, Luther Williams, Fabio Saraiva, Kenny Beaney (Trevan
Robinson 77), Tommy Stagg, Daniel Hector, Trey Masikini (Jamie Splatt)