South Park (Reigate) 3 Leatherhead 1
Leatherhead’s slim play-off prospects effectively ended on Saturday with a 3-1 defeat
at South Park (Reigate).
Tanners led early through a goal from Tyler D’Cruz. But the game moved decisively
in South Park’s favour on 37 minutes after the dismissal of Leatherhead centre-back
Cameron Black for an untidy challenge.
George Vincent levelled for Sparks on the stroke of half time before the hosts sealed
the three points with late second half goals from Shamal Edwards and Tom Smith.
Leatherhead started brightly, taking the lead after five minutes. Wingback George
Hedley broke free down the right and his cross into the box was cleverly flicked on by
Matt Everitt for D’Cruz to stab home past goalkeeper Danny Bracken.
Tanners missed a chance to double their advantage on 17 minutes. Alfie Huckle did
well to get a touch on a Kane Fitzgerald free kick to deflect the ball towards goal. But
Bracken got his body behind the shot to make a fine save.
With Leatherhead pressing players forward, the match turned in the hosts’ favour
eight minutes before half time. Black caught South Park’s Craig McGee with a
clumsy high tackle on the halfway line and the referee showed no hesitation in
showing him a red card.
Leatherhead almost scored through Marco Haigh just before half time. But the former
South Park player was denied by another good save from Bracken.
Sparks drew level in first half stoppage time with Vincent breaking free of his marker
to head past Leatherhead keeper Harvey Keogh.
Tanners almost restored their lead on the stroke of half time but Kareem Akinnibi’s
well flighted cross was headed wide by D’Cruz.
Kelvin Massango replaced Haigh at half time to provide extra cover in defence and
the ten men of Leatherhead remained in contention for much of the second half.
Tanners nearly retook the lead on 75 minutes, but Lucas Franzen-Jones’s goal-bound
strike was brilliantly deflected onto the post by Bracken.
Two minutes later South Park found a gap in the visitors’ defence, allowing Edwards
to head past Keogh and put the hosts ahead.
Sparks grew in confidence and nearly added a third goal a minute later when Edwards
advanced through the middle. But Keogh bravely came off his line to gather up the
ball at the striker’s feet.
Tanners tried to find a way back into the match. On 85 minutes Ruben Bartlett-Antwi
picked out Franzen-Jones in the box, but the former Lancing striker was unable to get
sufficient power in his shot, enabling Bracken to save comfortably.
Sparks’ victory was confirmed two minutes later with a swift counter-attack and fine
finish from Smith, lofting the ball over Keogh from outside the box.
With each of the four teams above them winning on Saturday, the result keeps
Leatherhead in eighth place. And with just two matches remaining, Leatherhead are
six points behind fifth placed Kingstonian with a significantly inferior goal difference.
Tanners are back in league action on Monday when they host Binfield at Fetcham
Grove. Kick-off is at 3.00pm.
South Park (Reigate): Danny Bracken, Jerry O’Sullivan, Jack Tucker, Will Seager,
Hayden Gale, Jensen Grant (Tom Smith 71), James McElligott (Brad Sweeney 68),
Dan Moody (Zac Jervis 90), George Vincent (Bobby Mills 89), Craig McGee, Shamal
Edwards
Leatherhead: Harvey Keogh, Niran Butler, George Hedley, Alfie Huckle, Alex
Pearce, Cameron Black, Marco Haigh (Kelvin Massango 46), Matt Everitt (Alex
Laing 57), Tyler D’Cruz (Ruben Bartlett-Antwi 68), Kane Fitzgerald, Kareem
Akinnibi (Lukas Franzen-Jones 68)