Leatherhead 0 Uxbridge 1
Leatherhead’s seven match unbeaten run came to an end with a narrow 1-0 defeat
against play-off contenders Uxbridge.
Massimo Giamattei scored the only goal of an increasingly ill-tempered match,
beating Leatherhead keeper Sonny Wheeler with a long range strike after 31 minutes.
Tanners missed a chance to level late in the second half, when Anuar Ceesay was
pulled back in the visitors’ penalty area by Uxbridge midfielder Harry Rush. But Reds
keeper George Legg made a comfortable save from Kane Fitzgerald’s spot kick.
The visitors saw out the final twenty minutes with ten men following Kai Hobbs’
dismissal after receiving a second yellow card.
Uxbridge threatened Tanners in the opening exchanges, with an early Giamattei shot
blocked for a corner and Rush firing another effort just wide of the post.
Leatherhead worked their way into the match as they gradually pressed forward. But
despite winning a succession of corners and free kicks, Tanners were unable to break
down a well organised Reds defence, led by skipper CJ Fearn. And all too often any
high balls played into the visitors’ six yard box were plucked out of the air by their
very capable keeper.
Uxbridge opened the scoring against the run of play on the half hour mark, with an
unchallenged Giamettei beating Wheeler from 25 yards.
Tanners missed a chance to level in first half added time when Kareem Akinnibi
played a ball through to Ruben Bartlett-Antwi on the edge of the visitors’ penalty
area. But the Tanners striker rushed his effort, firing well wide of the target.
The second half opened with an early scuffle between Leatherhead’s Ceesay and
Uxbridge’s Hobbs which briefly turned unpleasant, with several players from both
sides getting involved. Ceesay and Hobbs were each shown a yellow card and from
their onwards the match became an increasingly scrappy affair.
Tanners continued to pump balls into the visitors’ penalty area, but they would never
drop invitingly for a Leatherhead player to finish while Uxbridge continued to defend
well, clearing away everything the hosts could throw at them.
Reds striker Ada Okorogheye forced a fine low save from Wheeler on 61 minutes in a
rare second half counter attack from the visitors.
Uxbridge were reduced to ten men on 69 minutes after Hobbs brought down Ceesay
outside the visitors’ penalty area and was shown a second yellow card.
Ceesay continued to pose the biggest threat to Uxbridge with his a succession of runs
into the visitors’ penalty area. And on 75 minutes, the visitors were punished with a
penalty awarded to Leatherhead after Rush blocked an advancing Ceesay in the box.
Fitzgerald took a short run up for the spot kick, striking the ball hard and low down
the middle. But Legg guessed correctly, maintaining his position on the goal line to
safely gather up the ball at his feet.
Tanners continued to put pressure on the Reds’ goalmouth in the closing minutes but
still could not find a way to penetrate their opponents’ defence.
Uxbridge broke up play whenever they could, with a number of players having to
receive treatment from their physio as they gradually wound down the clock to the
final whistle.
The result sees Leatherhead drop one place in the table to eighth on 60 points from 36
matches, five points behind fifth placed Ascot United, while third placed Uxbridge
remain firmly in contention for the play-offs on 69 points.
Tanners are back in league action on Saturday when they host second placed
Kingstonian at Fetcham Grove. Kick-off is at 3.00pm.
Leatherhead: Sonny Wheeler, Cameron Black, Niran Butler, Kelvin-Manuel
Massango (Rhys Murrell Williamson 72), George Hedley, Anuar Ceesay (Marco
Haigh 80), Alfie Huckle, Matt Everitt, Kane Fitzgerald, Kareem Akinnibi, Ruben
Bartlett-Antwi (Ty Butler 62)
Uxbridge: George Legg, Kai Hobbs, Casey Bocarro, CJ Fearn, James Taylor,
Massimo Giamattei, Joshua Addae (Dernell Wynter 58), Harry Rush, Ada
Okorogheye (Morrison Hashii 90+6), George Moore (Luke Paris 86), Andrio Brandao
(Daniel Fosu 58)