Match Report by Rod Ellis.
Leatherhead 1 Farnham Town 4
Leatherhead concluded their pre-season campaign with a defeat against last season’s Isthmian South Central champions Farnham Town at Fetcham Grove on Tuesday.
Town raced into a two-goal lead inside the opening fifteen minutes. Farnham’s Jack Dean went down in the Tanners’ penalty area following a soft challenge from a defender. Great Evans stepped up to power the resulting spot kick past Leatherhead keeper Sonny Wheeler.
The quick paced visitors extended their lead when Ogo Obi escaped his marker before rounding Wheeler to fire home from a tight angle.
Leatherhead were forced to make an early substitution when Kelvin Massango limped off after a heavy challenge just outside the visitors’ penalty area.
Farnham added a third goal on the half hour mark. Adam Liddle stole the ball from Leatherhead’s Ross Stepney before rounding Wheeler to score from close range.
Tanners’ best chance of a reply in the opening half came from a Nathan Hogan free kick on 35 minutes. Niran Butler met the ball with a powerful header but his effort was comfortably saved by Farnham’s trialist keeper.
Tanners pulled a goal back on 48 minutes after Farnham’s Jordan Stepney brought down Tyrell Butler for a penalty. Sam De St Croix stepped up to take the spot kick and although his initial effort was blocked by the keeper, the former Farnham player was first to the loose ball to tuck away the rebound.
Bobby-Joe Taylor added a fourth goal for Town on 62 minutes following another quick break.
Tanners missed an opportunity to reduce the arrears on 71 minutes when they awarded a second penalty. Once again De St Croix stepped forward to take it, but this time his effort was well blocked by the Farnham keeper.
Town continued to press forward in search of a fifth goal. Owen Dean set up a good chance for Sam Evans, with the striker firing wide, before a last minute effort from Farnham’s Brendon Mason was cleared off the line by a Tanners defender.
Leatherhead’s season gets fully under way on Saturday when they host Phoenix Sports in an FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round tie at Fetcham Grove. Kick-off is at 3.00pm.
Leatherhead: Sonny Wheeler (Alex GK 46), George Hedley, Kelvin Massango (Isaac
Olaniyan 21), Niran Butler (Cameron Black 46), Ross Stepney (James Richmond 46),
Rodney Dos Santos (James McLeod 57), Sam De St Croix, Lukas Franzen-Jones
(Tyrell Butler 46), Anas Igozouln, Nathan Hogan (Rodney Dos Santos 78), Kane
Fitzgerald (Ronnie Spink 57)
Farnham Town: Trialist GK, Jack Dean, Ryan Kinnane (Brendan Mason 58), Jordan
Stepney, Joseph Jackson (Bobby-Joe Taylor 58), Kai Tanner, Benjamin Purcell,
Owen Dean, Great Evans (Darryl Sanders 46), Ogo Obi (Sam Evans 58), Adam
Liddle (Mat Mackenzie 58)
