Leatherhead lost their Isthmian League Division One South Central play-off final 3-1 against Marlow in front of a season-best crowd of 1,589 at the Alfred Davis Memorial Ground on Sunday.
Tanners produced a dominant attacking display in a goal less first half. But any hopes of promotion were quickly extinguished after the visitors conceded three goals from successive Marlow corners midway through the second half.
Trevan Robinson reduced the arrears late in the match. But his goal was scant consolation for Leatherhead and the sizeable contingent of Tanners supporters situated around the ground.
With less than two minutes played Marlow had a strong penalty appeal waved away after Dawid Rogalski went down in Leatherhead’s box.
Six minutes later, Tanners front man Ibrahim Olutade fell to the ground after a heavy challenge in the hosts’ penalty area. But this time the referee blew for a Marlow free kick.
Leatherhead tested the hosts with the first corner of the match on 16 minutes. Fabio Saraiva picked out Fikayo Atewologun in the middle of the box but the Tanners centre back headed straight to Blues goalkeeper Aaron Watkins.
Jamie Splatt tested Watkins with a fine long range effort three minutes later as Tanners continued to press forward.
Leatherhead had the ball in the Blues’ net on 24 minutes but only after the referee had blown for a foul on Marlow skipper Chris Ovenden.
Despite a series of crunching challenges from both sets of players in a fiercely competitive opening half, the remarkably lenient referee allowed the game to flow, showing a solitary yellow card after Marlow’s Jordi Ndozid brought down Leatherhead’s Omarr Lawson with a bruising tackle.
Tanners missed a chance to break the deadlock on 35 minutes. Saraiva delivered another probing corner, but the ball was cleared off the line by Marlow’s Josh Masters.
With five minutes of the opening half remaining, Olutade won a free kick wide on the right near the corner flag. Saraiva lofted it high into the penalty area but Watkins outjumped everyone to punch the ball to safety.
In first half stoppage time Daniel Hector was hauled to the ground by Masters, but once again the referee saw nothing untoward and waved play on.
Splatt missed another chance to put Tanners ahead in the opening minutes of the second half, volleying high over the bar from the edge of the box.
The match turned firmly in Marlow’s favour after they won a corner on 56 minutes. Masters picked out Ndozid lurking unmarked around Leatherhead’s penalty spot and his diving header evaded everyone as it flew into the corner of the net.
Worse was to follow for Tanners four minutes later, when they conceded an almost identical second goal after another Blues corner. This time Masters picked out Louis Rogers and the unchallenged midfielder sent a powerful header firmly into the back of net from twelve yards out.
Any remaining hopes of a Leatherhead comeback were firmly dashed when the visitors conceded a third goal on 65 minutes, after former Tanners favourite Dave Tarpey won another corner for Marlow.
Masters delivered another out-swinger from the left. The ball dropped invitingly for Rogalski to power home from the edge of the box, giving Leatherhead keeper Amadou Tangara no chance.
Tanners rallied briefly with Tyler Cox setting up a good opportunity for Trey Masikini on 83 minutes. And with five minutes remaining, Hector tested Watkins with a fierce long range shot which the keeper did well to save.
Leatherhead’s persistence finally paid off with a consolation goal on 87 minutes. Ghas Sow did well to win possession at the by-line, squaring the ball into the heart of the six-yard box for Robinson to stab home from close range.
Ollie Cook almost grabbed a second goal for Tanners deep in stoppage time, with a turn and shot that went just wide of the post.
But at the final whistle Leatherhead were left to reflect on some woeful defending midway through the second half, as Marlow comfortably held out through seven minutes of added time to win the South Central promotion play-off final.
Marlow: Aaron Watkins, Elijah Olundunjoye, Josh Masters, Louis Rogers, Jordi Ndozid, Chris Ovendon, Dawid Rogalski, Ben Mulley, Kai Hamilton-Olise (Naheer- Omar Nawaf 76), Rhys Harper (Brandon Curtis 80), Dave Tarpey (Josh Boorn 71)
Leatherhead: Amadou Tangara, Jerry Puemo, Fikayo Atewologun (Trey Masikini 67), Jamie Splatt (Alpha Diallo 59), Ollie Cook, Fabio Saraiva, Omarr Lawson (Trevan Robinson 67), Ghas Sow, Ibrahim Olutade, Daniel Hector, Tyler Cox
