Sutton Common Rovers 1 Leatherhead 0
By Rod Ellis
Luke Ige sealed the points for Sutton Common Rovers with a well taken goal on 20 minutes in a match that rarely sparked into life at the War Memorial Sports Ground on Saturday.
Leatherhead handed a debut to prolific striker Jamarie Brissett, signed earlier this month after scoring thirteen goals for Beckenham Town this season.
With only two minutes played Tanners created a good opening in front of goal. Anuar Ceesay broke clear down the middle, feeding the ball through to Lukas Franzen Jones. The Leatherhead striker fired his effort beyond goalkeeper Prince Adegoke, but the ball struck the foot of the post before being cleared away by the Rovers’ defence.
Play was held up for several minutes after clash of heads involving Rovers captain Bertie Lloyd, who marked his 100th appearance for the hosts by having to wear an unflattering bandage for the rest of the match, wrapped tightly around the top and bottom of his head to protect an open wound on his chin.
Rovers broke the deadlock midway through the opening half with their first penetrating attack.
Leatherhead’s defence allowed Ige to advance unchallenged with the ball at his feet. The Rovers wingback tested Sonny Wheeler with a firm shot from the edge of the box which the Tanners keeper did well to block. But Ige latched onto the loose ball, striking his follow up effort beyond the stranded Wheeler and into the back of the net.
The hosts came close to adding a second goal on 36 minutes. A cross to the far post found an unmarked Charlie Stallard, who lunged forward with an outstretched boot. His shot rattled against the post before the ball was eventually cleared to safety.
Tanners pressed players forward in the closing minutes of the opening half with an eye to levelling before the break. Alfie Huckle tested Adegoke with a wide angled cross which was well blocked by the Rovers keeper.
The hosts nearly doubled their lead with a quick counter attack in first half stoppage time. The ball was quickly played forward to Rovers sub Jayden Smith, who advanced to the edge of the penalty area before forcing a good save from Wheeler.
Rovers startled Tanners early in the second half when Darnell Bromfield fired a thunderous shot at goal from thirty yards out. The ball flew past Wheeler but crashed against the crossbar before being cleared.
Leatherhead made a double substitution on 56 minutes, as Ceesay and skipper Tom Kavanagh made way for Rhys Murrell-Williamson and Ruben Bartlett-Antwi.
Franzen Jones missed a good chance to equalise two minutes later. The Tanners striker advanced into the hosts’ penalty area with the ball at his feet. But instead of unleashing a shot, he went too close to Adegoke and the Rovers keeper dived bravely at his feet to gather up the loose ball.
Tanners came close again on 74 minutes. Kelvin Manuel Massango delivered a firm low cross into the box from the left. Bartlett-Antwi connected with the ball but saw his effort fly just wide of the post.
With the visitors pressing players further forward, Rovers almost nabbed a late second goal. Ezra Agyiri delivered a wide-angled cross into Leatherhead’s penalty area which just evaded an advancing Christian Adu Gyamfi at the far post.
Tanners will have little time to dwell on this defeat as they prepare to return to the War Memorial Sports Ground on Monday evening to face Carshalton Athletic in the Velocity Cup. Kick-off is at 7.45pm.
Sutton Common Rovers: Prince Adegoke, Luke Ige, Charlie Stallard, Darnell Bromfield, Bertie Lloyd, Evangelos Empochontsif, Bayan Aman (Florin Awoleke 55, Cameron Dobell 79), Michael Samson (Jayden Smith 39, Conor Darwish 90), Christian Adu Gyamfi, Daniel Pepple (Ezra Agyiri 61), Emmanuel Kwatchey
Leatherhead: Sonny Wheeler, Cerny Ando, Kelvin Manuel Massango, Alfie Huckle, Alex Pearce, Niran Butler, Anuar Ceesay (Rhys Murrell-Williamson 56), Tom Kavanagh (Ruben Bartlett-Antwi 56), Lukas Franzen Jones (Dontaye Whittaker 75), Kane Fitzgerald, Jamarie Brissett