Match report by Rod Elis-
Thatcham Town 0 Leatherhead 2
Leatherhead moved up to third place in the league table with a convincing 2-0 win at
Thatcham Town on Saturday.
Goals from Tyler Cox and Trevan Robinson saw Tanners secure three points on a
heavy pitch after recent flooding at the Mettal Stadium.
Leatherhead manager Hayden Bird made three changes to the side that drew 1-1 at
Hartley Wintney in midweek with Omarr Lawson, Jamie Splatt and Fabio Saraiva
coming into the starting eleven for Michael Elechi, Daniel Hector and Ghas Sow.
Tanners began brightly with Saraiva testing Kingfishers keeper Callum Smart with a
firm shot from the edge of the box on eight minutes.
Robinson was a commanding presence in attack for the visitors throughout the match.
The former Chertsey Town striker did well to win the ball on 12 minutes and create a
chance for Lawson, but the Tanners midfielder fired wide.
Leatherhead somehow failed to break the deadlock on 15 minutes, with the ball
pinged around the Kingfishers six-yard box at a frenetic pace. Saraiva struck the
bottom of the post with a header before Smart blocked another close range effort from
Cox.
Lawson should have done better when put through on goal by Robinson, but fired a
low shot straight at the keeper.
Thatcham missed an opportunity to score an opening goal against the run of play on
32 minutes. Midfielder Sam Tanner broke clear down the left and hit a wide-angled
shot from the edge of the box just over the bar.
Tanners’ efforts were eventually rewarded with a fine opening goal from Cox on 44
minutes. The attacking wing back received a pass from Robinson and side-stepped his
way around two defenders before looking up and placing a low shot into the corner of
the net.
The visitors missed a chance to add to their lead on 53 minutes. A quickly taken
Kenny Beaney free kick was fed through to Robinson, who advanced to the edge of
the hosts’ penalty area. But just as Robinson was lining up to shoot, Kingfishers
defender Josh Blackwood made a fine interception to deny the Leatherhead striker.
Tanners continued to drive forward and missed another opportunity to extend their
lead three minutes later. Splatt delivered a well-directed cross into the box from the
left, only for the well-positioned Cox to miscue his shot in front of goal.
The hosts should have capitalised on a rare mistake in the visitors’ defence on 61
minutes. Defender Ollie Cook attempted to head the ball back towards goalkeeper
Mikey Allen. The ball dropped well short of the Leatherhead custodian, allowing
Thatcham’s Jordi Ebanda to step in and attempt a shot at goal. But the Kingfishers
striker’s effort went agonisingly wide of the post.
Leatherhead secured the points with a second goal on 74 minutes. Splatt found
Robinson in space baring down on goal and the Tanners front man made no mistake,
burying a low shot into the corner of the net.
Cox almost added a third goal for the visitors four minutes later, with a long looping
cross from the left grazing the top of the hosts’ crossbar.
Thatcham missed out on a couple of chances to pull a goal back in the closing
minutes. Jay Welch latched onto Kyle Daniel-Spray’s well delivered free kick but
fired high over the bar, before Kingfishers’ sub Pharrel Agbotey struck a firm shot
straight towards Allen who made another comfortable save.
Tanners will seek to build on this result as they prepare for one of their sternest tests
of the season to date, with a visit to table toppers Chertsey Town on Tuesday evening.
Kick-off at Alwyns Lane is at 7.45pm.
Thatcham Town: Cullum Smart, Tinashe Gwavava, Kyle Daniel-Spray, Jay Welch,
Josh Blackwood, Curtis Angell, Sam Tanner (Pharrel Agbotey 75), Nathan Jones,
Jordi Ebanda (Andrew Matthews 77), Owen Clark (Edward Campbell Smith 75), Mo
Ceesay
Leatherhead: Mikey Allen, Alpha Diallo, Tyler Cox, Luther Williams, Ollie Cook,
Fikayo Atewologun, Fabio Saraiva, Kenny Beaney, Trevan Robinson (Emerjay
Campbell-Jones 90), Omarr Lawson (Francisco Gomes 89), Jamie Splatt (Trey
Masikini 76),