FA Trophy 3rd Qualify Round
Match Report by Rod Ellis
Leatherhead 4 Ramsgate 1
Leatherhead advanced to the first round of the FA Trophy for the first time in five years with a commanding display against Isthmian Premier Division visitors Ramsgate.
Tanners fell behind midway through the opening half to a poorly defended goal from Rams’ prolific marksman, Joe Taylor. But the goal spurred the hosts into attack. Leatherhead scored twice in the lead up to half time before two further goals were added in a dominant second half performance which saw several more chances go begging.
Ramsgate started the tie strongly and almost went ahead on 15 minutes, with Tanners keeper Sonny Wheeler instinctively blocking a close range shot with his legs following an Alfie Paxman corner.
Leatherhead had the ball in Ramsgate’s net two minutes later when Bill Montague picked out Jacob Breckon in the six yard box to fire home from close range. But the linesman’s flag was quickly raised, ruling out the tall striker’s effort for offside.
As soon as play resumed, Ramsgate pressed forward. Leatherhead’s defence was momentarily caught off guard, as an unchallenged Taylor fired home past Wheeler.
Ryan Kingsford missed a chance to double the visitors’ lead five minutes later, firing wide from the edge of the box without testing Wheeler.
Leatherhead missed a chance to level on 28 minutes. Rams goalkeeper Aiden Prall did well to block Breckon’s close range header.
Tanners continued to press forward and turned the tie around with two goals in quick succession just before half-time.
On 40 minutes Ramsgate failed clear a Leatherhead corner, with Mark Waters firing home through a crowded penalty area from 12 yards. And four minutes later Anas Igozouln’s initial shot was well blocked before the
tenacious Tanners winger slotted home at the second attempt.
Leatherhead created further chances in the visitors’ penalty area in first half stoppage time, with Ramsgate struggling to clear probing deliveries into the box from Igozouln and Nathan Hogan.
Hogan missed a great chance to score a third Tanners goal in the opening minute of the second half, pressing forward with the ball at his feet but dwelling too long at the
edge of the penalty area until eventually being closed down by the Rams defence.
And on 56 minutes, Hogan failed to test Prall with another well-timed Leatherhead
break in the visitors’ half, firing wide in a one-on-one against the keeper.
Leatherhead’s continuous pressure paid off with a third goal on 60 minutes after Ramsgate central defender Jerome Binnom-Williams was dispossessed by Breckon outside the visitors’ penalty area. The former Westfield striker played the ball on to an advancing Montague on his left and the midfielder calmly slotted low past the keeper for his first goal for Tanners.
Ramsgate made a double substitution on 63 minutes, with Benny Bioletti and Mitchell May being pressed forward into attack. But neither player severely troubled the Tanners defence during the final half hour.
The hard working Hogan missed another golden opportunity to net for Tanners on 72 minutes, firing over the bar in another one-on-one against the keeper. But with Ramsgate being increasingly stretched at the back, Tanners added a fourth goal on 87 minutes. Lukas Franzen-Jones picked out an unmarked Jordan Gallagher
on his left and the sub had the simple task of picking his spot to beat the keeper.
Kane Fitzgerald almost added a fifth goal for the hosts in added time, but Prall did very well to get a hand to the ball to block the midfielder’s rasping free kick.
Leatherhead visit Chertsey Town on Tuesday evening for an opening round tie in the
Surrey Senior Cup. Kick-off at Alwyns Lane is at 7.45pm.
Leatherhead: Sonny Wheeler, George Hedley (Kelvin Massango 58), Cameron Black,
Niran Butler, Louie Paget, Mark Waters (Seb Tauta-Caballero 74), Kane Fitzgerald,
Jacob Breckon (Lukas Franzen-Jones 79), Anas Igozouln (James McLeod 90+1), Bill
Montague, Nathan Hogan (Jordan Gallagher 79)
Ramsgate: Aiden Prall, Donvieve Jones, Aaron Barnes (Lewis Gard 46), Jerome
Binnom-Williams (Leo Todd 79), Tom Clifford, Billy Munday, Tijan Jadama, Ryan
Kingsford (Benny Bioletti 63), Alfie Paxman, Joe Taylor, Kai Garrett (Mitchell May
63)
