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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Surrey Senior Cup semi final
Wednesday 26th March 2008
Whyteleafe reached the final of the Surrey Senior Cup with an historic victory over a pretty much full-strength Woking side from the Conference. The victory was thoroughly deserved as they matched their opponents from three levels above in every department. They will attempt to win the trophy for the first time in a final provisionally to be played on 6th May at Imber Court where they will play either Tooting or Kingstonian. Their opponents are not yet known as Tooting have appealed against their defeat to Kingstonian as they fielded an ineligible player.
This match was played on a very wet Kingfield pitch that stood up surprisingly well to steady rain throughout the match.
The visitors started well and took the game to Woking. Michael Riley and Joel Greaves combined well on the left in the eighth minute, Riley's cross being headed away for a corner by a defender under pressure. Woking went close in the 16th minute when Matt Gray got a touch to a cross from Damian Batt that went just wide.
Steve Causon headed narrowly wide from an 18th minute Sam Clayton won by Riley after another good run. At the other end Guiseppe Sole should have put Woking ahead in the 39th minute when he was sent clear but shot wide with just Rob Tolfrey to beat. A minute later Tolfrey saved a Matt Gray header and then in the 42nd minute Moses Spencer headed just wide from a Chris O'Flaherty free kick with keeper Nick Gindre at full stretch well beaten.
Whyteleafe continued to match Woking early in the second half and Clayton's 48th minute shot was tipped round the post by Gindre. A minute later Gindre failed to hold a Robbie Smith shot but he was fortunate to see it bounce to safety.
O'Flaherty went on a great run down the left in the 53rd minute, combining well with Callum MacLean. His cross found Greaves whose shot was saved. Five minutes later, Clayton saw his 20 yard effort tipped round by Gindre.
Woking substitute Marvin Morgan hit a strong shot in the 65th minute that Tolfrey was unable to hold but Causon was on hand to clear the ball away for a corner. This corner saw a big scramble in the 'Leafe area with a header hitting the bar and three shots blocked before the ball was finally scrambled away.
Clayton put Alhajie Jabbie through in the 78th minute but his attempted chip from 30 yards went well over the bar and then Matt Pattison went close for Woking in the 81st minute, his shot being blocked by Tolfrey.
Morgan should have done better for Woking in the 88th minute when one on one with Tolfrey but Whyteleafe's keeper did extremely well to block his shot.
In the dying minutes Clayton beat two defenders before striking the ball just wide and then, just a minute later he was sent clear and manage to stay on his feet from a desperate challenge from the last defender. The referee played an excellent advantage and Clayton duly slotted the ball into the bottom corner of the net, leaving Woking no time to get back into the game
Whyteleafe: Tolfrey, Boxall, Jabbie, Spencer, Causon, Riley (Platel 87), Broomhead, Smith (MacLean 53), Greaves (Rivers 73), Clayton, O'Flaherty.
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Ryman League Division 1 South
(Good) Friday 21st March 2008
Whyteleafe secured a fine away victory under testing conditions with goals from Sam Clayton and Adam Broomhead.
A bitterly cold gale blew across a heavy wet pitch and it was never likely to be a feast of football. It was the visitors who started the brightest and after only seven minutes they opened the scoring when Michael Riley dribbled across the Ashford goal and wide of the advancing keeper, leaving Sam Clayton to tap the ball in to the empty net.
The first half was short of incident, although Leafe keeper Rob Tolfrey needed to be smartly off his line to bravely dive at the feet of the advancing Michael Sherwood on twenty minutes. Shortly before the break Adam Broomhead and Ashford’s Ryan Briggs were involved in an altercation that surprisingly brought stern words but no cards from referee Mr O’Brien.
The second half proved livelier, Sam Clayton making an early jinxing run, his shot well gathered by keeper Sam Moore. On the hour Ashford squandered an open goal when a Moses Spencer slip allowed Mark Lovell to cross leaving Jimmy Bottle to finish from ten yards out, but he somehow managed to drag the ball wide of the goal. At the other end Sam Clayton, in confident form at the end of an impressive season, fired a 30 yard free-kick narrowly wide.
The 75th minute saw an ugly incident when Ashford defender Danny Lye inflicted a late and high tackle on midfield playmaker Robbie Smith who was lucky to escape serious injury whilst Lee escaped with just a yellow card, despite a disgraceful volley of abuse at the prostate Smith.
Shortly after, Alhajie Jabbie made a vital interception, stealing the ball from Bottle’s boot as he was about to shoot. With Ashford growing stronger there was relief for the visitors when a Chris O’Flaherty free-kick was bundled in by Broomhead in the 82nd minute. Rob Tolfrey then produced the save of the match turning a fierce Bottle drive around his post, but Ashford did reply in injury time when substitute Walid Matata finished a tremendous run with an unstoppable shot.
Whyteleafe held out to secure a second successive victory and retain faint hopes of a late surge to the last play-off place.
Whyteleafe: Tolfrey, Jabbie, O’Flaherty, Causon, Boxall, Spencer, Smith, Broomhead, Greaves (Platel 77), Clayton (Rivers 77), Riley. Subs not used: Méité, Hackett, Dille
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Ryman League Division 1 South
Saturday 15th March 2008
Whyteleafe took all three points in a comfortable win against a poor Horsham side for whom escape from relegation now looks quite a challenge, ten points from safety and with just seven games left. They will be hoping that there is a repeat of the last three seasons where sides have been reprieved by other teams dropping out of the league.
‘Leafe made their intentions clear right from the start when visiting keeper Alan Mansfield was forced to make a good save after only 20 seconds to deny Sam Clayton. They dominated the play and in the 17th minute, a well flighted free kick from Chris O'Flaherty found Clayton in the box, but the defence were quickly on to him to block his shot. Four minutes later, Alhajie Jabbie won a corner after a great run down the right. O'Flaherty took the corner and found Joel Greaves who beat Mansfield to the ball and headed into the net to give Whyteleafe the lead. On 24 minutes O'Flaherty had a 25 yard free-kick saved.
Horsham's only real chance of the half came in the 31st minute. James Grant found some space in the box but his header was off target with keeper Rob Tolfrey stranded. In the 39th minute things got worse for the visitors when keeper Mansfield was stretchered off. He was injured when he hit his knee on the post making a save to deny Jabbie from a narrow angle. ‘Leafe could have gone in at half time two up when O'Flaherty found Jabbie in the box who shot over.
Richard Greenfield did have a shot for the visitors early in the second half but it was well off target. In fact Tolfrey did not need to make a save of any difficulty in the whole match. Clayton went close for the home team when he beat substitute keeper Martyn Flack in the 58th minute, but his effort hit the bar. Two minutes later Joel Greaves had a shot blocked and from the rebound, Daniel Platel's shot was well tipped round by Flack.
‘Leafe's second came in the 70th minute when Greaves outpaced Matt Russell into the box, Russell caught his heels and the referee awarded the penalty. Flack did well to get a hand to Clayton's spot kick, that was not struck with his usual confidence, but it still had enough to go into the net. Three minutes later a great solo goal from man of the match Greaves who beat three men before slotting the ball past Flack from close range.
Manager Dave Swindlehurst took the opportunity to make some changes with the game comfortably won. One of the substitutes, Michael Riley, went close to adding a fourth when he beat three defenders before curling a shot just wide of the far post. ‘Leafe controlled the remainder of the game as they ended up easy winners.
Whyteleafe: Tolfrey, Boxall, Jabbie (Riley 72), Causon, Broomhead, MacLean, Platel (Rivers 72), Spencer, Greaves 45, Clayton (Méité 76), O'Flaherty.
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Ryman League Division 1 South
Wednesday 12th March 2008
Cray ended up the winners in this entertaining match that kept swinging from one side to the other, with a late winner settling a match that could have gone either way.
The visitors started the game well and Rob Tolfrey was called upon to make a couple of early saves, but it was 'Leafe who took an early lead with their first dangerous attack of the game. Chris O'Flaherty found Michael Riley in the box and he slotted the ball under Glen Knight.
Cray continued to look the stronger of the sides but 'Leafe could well have gone two up when O'Flaherty found Sam Clayton on the left edge of the box. He laid the ball off to Robbie Smith whose shot went just wide. Cray went close in the 33rd minute when a free kick was cleared as far as Jamie Wood whose fierce shot was headed off the line by Adam Broomhead.
'Leafe looked as though they would hold out until half time, but in the 44th minute, a superb strike from Michael Power saw his shot dip over Tolfrey and under the bar for the equaliser. A minute later Ross Lover scored from close range, then Power hit another spectacular goal to turn the match dramatically Cray's way and into a 3-1 half time lead.
Whyteleafe started the second half in determined fashion and two minutes into the half, substitute Joel Greaves headed an O'Flaherty corner against the bar. Three minutes later he shot wide after a great move down the right from Alhajie Jabbie and Clayton.
Knight then made a brilliant save in the 53rd minute to tip over Broomhead's header from an O'Flaherty corner. Smith then found Jabbie down the right and Greaves shot from his cross was saved at full stretch by Knight. A minute later Tolfrey made a great save to deny Power, then Daniel Platel forced another good save from Knight with Smith hitting the rebound wide.
As 'Leafe pushed forward, Cray started looking dangerous on the break and Tolfrey made another superb save in the 70th minute to tip over a shot from Wood. Four minutes later Whyteleafe pulled a goal back when Platel chased a ball to the byline on the right. Getting to the ball just before Knight, he pulled it ball back into the path of Greaves who scored from close range.
Two minutes later 'Leafe were level when a poor back pass went past Knight and Clayton was quickly in to turn the ball into the net. With Whyteleafe continuing to attack they looked the more likely to win but it was Cray who got a late winner. Tolfrey tipped over a shot from Aaron Day, but the resulting corner was headed home by Ryan Royston to boost Cray's play off hopes.
Whyteleafe: Tolfrey, Boxall, Jabbie, Causon, Broomhead, MacLean, Platel, Smith, Riley (Greaves 45), Clayton, O'Flaherty.
Ryman League Division 1 South
Saturday 8th March 2008
Tooting took all three points in this evenly contested local derby, courtesy of two soft goals which makes their play off place more secure and with Whyteleafe probably having to settle for a mid table position.
The visitors took an early lead when they won a free kick midway inside 'Leafe's half in the 7th minute. The ball was floated into the box and with Rob Tolfrey calling for the ball, no defender made a challenge allowing the smallest player on the pitch, Allan McLeod, to run into the box unchallenged, reaching the ball before Tolfrey to head it into the unguarded net.
In the 15th minute, following good work down the right by Daniel Platel, a Joel Greaves header was saved by Dave King. Four minutes later Greaves was through into the Tooting box, but King did well to save his effort with his feet.
Shortly afterward minutes later, Alhajie Jabbie was brought down just outside the box. Chris O'Flaherty took the free kick, striking it just wide of the post. Four minutes later Greaves tried his luck from 25 yards, but it was a comfortable save for king.
Tooting had a good chance to extend their lead in the 39th minute when the lively Jon Henry-Hayden broke clear but Tolfrey made a good save to deny him.
Tooting scored there second early in the second half when they were awarded a free kick just inside the 'Leafe half. Colin Hartburn took the kick and it somehow bounced in the area and drifted into the Whyteleafe net without anyone else getting a touch.
Former 'Leafe defender Dean Hamlin was cautioned for dissent in the 53rd minute and was very lucky to stay on the pitch shortly afterwards when he threw the ball away. With referee Meilack going to his top pocket for another card, he quickly ran to retrieve the ball and had a narrow escape.
A minute later Jabbie beat two defenders as he ran into the box, but his shot was blocked. Tooting's defence held firm as Whyteleafe had their best spell of the game. Sam Clayton beat two defenders before seeing his shot blocked. The ball fell to Adam Broomhead who shot wide.
A minute later another shot from Broomhead brought about penalty claims but the referee decided it was ball to hand as it struck the defender. Then a 25 yard shot from Clayton took a deflection, but was well read by King who made the save.
Clayton tried another 25 yarder in the 72nd minute but this went wide. Henry-Hayden had a great chance to extend Tooting's lead in the 77th minute, but his effort struck the post and bounced away to safety. By now the game was safe for the visitors as they comfortably saw out the closing minutes and consolidated their play off place.
Whyteleafe: Tolfrey, Boxall, Jabbie, Reeve, Broomhead, MacLean (Riley 78), Platel (Rivers), Smith, Greaves (Méité 70), Clayton, O'Flaherty.
Ryman League Division 1 South
Saturday 1st March 2008
Whyteleafe never really looked like finding the net in this match and several players even struggled to find the ground. To add to manager Dave Swindlehurst's selection problems, with captain Ali Reeve suspended and keeper Rob Tolfrey injured, two players found the Leylands Park ground only after the match had kicked off.
Burgess Hill is not a happy hunting ground for 'Leafe at the best of times and with a depleted squad, playing into a blustery wind and up a noticeable slope, it soon became obvious they weren't going to offer a great deal of early resistance to the Hillians' ambition of leap-frogging them in the league table.
Only twelve minutes had passed when Steve Harper found himself in space and with time to play the ball comfortably past 'Leafe's onrushing stand-in keeper Gavin Dilley.
Whyteleafe showed little in the way of attacking football and shots from Callum Maclean and Sam Clayton caused no problems for the home keeper Chris May.
At the other end however Matt Piper came desperately close to extending his side's lead, crashing the ball against the post on the half hour. But Burgess Hill only had to wait a further three minutes to get the reward for their pressure when Tom Edmonds was left free to head home from a corner.
On 37 minutes Chris O'Flaherty and Callum Maclean made a complete hash of a set-piece free-kick which turned attack into defence with remarkable efficiency. O'Flaherty however very nearly redeemed himself five minutes later with a free-kick which whistled just inches over the host team's bar.
Despite enjoying the wind and slope advantage in the second half, matters improve little for the visitors.
Substitute Joel Greaves managed to find himself clear of the defence on 57 minutes but May did well to smother his shot. Sean Rivers and Moses Spencer both saw long distance shots clear the Hillians' crossbar but despite a lot of huffing and puffing from their guests, Burgess Hill looked very comfortable with their lead by the end of the game.
Swindlehurst now looks forward to two very tricky looking home fixtures against Tooting and Cray respectively and his team will need to work very hard to salvage any form of play-off aspiration.
Whyteleafe: Dilley, Boxall, Hackett, Spencer, Broomhead, Maclean, Platel, Smith, Rivers, Clayton, O'Flaherty. Subs: Jabbie, Greaves, Causon.
