Leatherhead 1 Whyteleafe 0
Ryman League Division 1 South
Saturday 29th March 2008
Whyteleafe seemed to lack the cutting edge that they had shown in the semi final at Woking in the week, and although they had many good chances and dominated parts of the game, they were unable to peg back a Leatherhead side who took a first half lead. They thought they had equalised right at the end, only for the linesman to rule it offside.
The first twenty minutes were bogged down in midfield with Leatherhead creating the few chances that were made on a very heavy pitch. A Steve McNamara free kick in the 16th minute was grabbed at the second attempt by Rob Tolfrey and three minutes later, Chris O'Flaherty did well to head away a Dave Stevens cross under pressure from Carl Gibbs.
McNamara then hit another free kick in the 24th minute that Tolfrey saved, after O'Flaherty was booked for a late challenge. 'Leafe's first good chance came in the 27th minute when they won a free kick 25 yards out. O'Flaherty's well struck kick clipped the bar.
Two minutes later Robbie Smith sent Alhajie Jabbie clear down the right but his shot went across the face of goal.
Leatherhead scored what proved to be the winner in the 32nd minute. A free kick found Stevens unmarked in the box and the former 'Leafe striker picked his spot leaving Tolfrey no chance.
The visitors then had a good spell, with Jabbie finding Daniel Platel in the box in the 34th minute, his header going just wide. Two minutes later, Jabbie put Sam Clayton through. His shot was deflected into the path of Joel Greaves who put it over the bar from close range. Five minutes later a long clearance from Tolfrey set Platel away down the right. He cut inside the defender and hit a shot across the face of goal just beyond the far post.
At the other end Tommy Hutchings had a great chance to increase Leatherhead's lead. He beat Tolfrey with his shot but O'Flaherty was alert to the danger and managed to clear the ball off the line. A minute later O'Flaherty was in action at the other end when following a run down the left, his dangerous cross was cleared as far as Callum MacLean, whose volley hit the post. A minute later another O'Flaherty cross just eluded Platel and MacLean in the box.
Whyteleafe started the second half strongly, creating chances right from the off. Platel found Greaves in the box but his header was cleared away and minute later Robbie Smith hit a 25 yard effort just too high. A Sam Clayton effort was then deflected for a corner and then in the 50th minute, MacLean's 20 yard effort was saved.
'Leafe had their fifth effort in the first six minutes of the half when a good move involving Platel and Greaves ended with MacLean having a shot well saved.
But the early pressure was not sustained and was followed by a messy period in which both sides received a number of cautions, the most worrying for 'Leafe being Smith who will now have to appear before the FA for reaching 15 cards for the season and will face a ban of at least three games.
Leatherhead gradually began to get on top with Stevens having two excellent chances, one of which he shot against the post in the 58th minute. Dave Swindlehurst made several changes in an attempt to inject fresh legs as some of the players were tiring after two games in three days on heavy pitches played in pouring rain. His side however never really threatened to score until in stoppage time. Adam Broomhead headed home an O'Flaherty cross, but in what must have been a very close call, the linesman ruled it offside and the hosts went home with the points.
Whyteleafe: Tolfrey, Jabbie (Causon 69), O'Flaherty, Spencer, Greaves (Rivers 68), Broomhead, MacLean, Smith, Clayton, Platel, Riley (Méité 85).
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