1 post tagged “met police”
Attendance: 138
This was another game in which 'Leafe started well, but since the head injury sustained by Sean Rivers, they have have failed to score in six of the last seven matches.
Despite starting the match well it was Met Police who took the lead in the twelth minute when a mix up in the home defence left Luke Cornwall in the clear. He took the ball round Danny Coote and walked it into the empty net, but was unable to take any further part in the match as he picked up a hamstring injury.
Whyteleafe had a great chance to equalise in the 16th minute when a powerful header from Danny Platel was cleared off the line. Three minutes later, a cross from Michael Riley was flicked on by Rivers, but was just out of the reach of the stretching Platel at the far post. Shortly afterwards, two former 'Leafe favourites combined to create a chance: Ryan Gray’s well struck corner picking out Gary Elliott, whose header Coote saved.
'Leafe had the better of the rest of the first half and should have equalised on the stroke of half time when Riley was found unmarked in the box, but he didn’t seem to realise just how much time he had and snatched at his shot which sailed over the bar.
Met Police effectively made the game safe early in the second half. A long cross into the box found substitute Jon Daly whose firm header found the back of the net.
The referee was slowly losing control of the game and little battles were breaking out. Manager Swindlehurst sensibly brought off the volatile Callum McLean who had already received a caution for a rash challenge and also brought on Ryan Rummery and Dean Eaton in an attempt to get back into the game.
Leafe’s chances also increased in the 73rd minute when the referee at last took some action, sending off Dave Newman for throwing a punch. the homesters went close a minute later when Platel’s shot from a Riley cross was deflected for a corner. Danny Arkwright saved Leafe in the 86th minute with a clearance off the line after a mistake by Danny Coote.
Will just a couple of minutes remaining, Robert Smith found Ellis Conroy on the edge of the box. He had two shots blocked before the ball fell to Eaton who shot just wide. Rummery was then just beaten to a long ball by the outrushing Will Packham. 'Leafe did find the back of the net in injury time when Eaton put Rummery through, and he slotted home, but he was ruled offside.
Whyteleafe: Coote, Riley, Basford, Reeve, Arkwright, Clark (Eaton 69), MacLean (Conroy 58), Smith, Rivers (Riley 71), McDowell (Rummery 54), Platel.
