Match Report
Ryman League: Division One South
 Horsham YMCA 4 Geard 6 Manton 36 gedling 87, 90 Geard 90 |  Leatherhead 2 Andrews 1 Hutchings 57 |
Match Ball Sponsor: NEIL CHARTRES | Source: Surrey Advertiser |
MICK SULLIVAN admitted Leatherhead owed defeat to a "mad five minutes" at Gorings Mead on Saturday..
They had looked favourites to win and make it four wins in five games when Tom Hutchings had put them 2-1 up just before the hour in an entertaining game full of chances at both ends.
Horsham YMCA deserved credit for their efforts to get the match on although it was boggy in several places with one particularly large marshy area.
Where it all started to go wrong for Leatherhead was in the 75th minute, when right-back Jon Coke and Tom Lawley each slid in for a 50/50 ball. The former was clearly hurt, waving frantically to the bench for attention, although he was subsequently able to carry on after treatment.
His team-mates reacted to what they felt was a bad challenge but there was little to see what Lawley did wrong, even if there was a horrible sound as he made contact with Coke’s shinpad and leg.
Referee Mark Walton was called over by his linesmen though, sending Sullivan off the bench.
Coke was clearly fuming, 12 minutes later sticking his foot out at Lawley after a challenge and - following a brief exchange of views with Walton - receiving a straight red card for foul and abusive language.
The full-back pulled down his sock as he walked off to demonstrate his point.
The visitors attempted to plug the gap at the back by swapping striker greg Andrews for Tom Williams and looked as if they might hold out.
With just five inutes left though, a foul by Michael Corbett on the edge of the box set up Luke Gedling to swing a free kick past an inadequate defensive wall and in off Colin Harris’s right-hand post. Once the match had moved into injury time, Lawley’s cross from the left saw Gavin Geddes head down and Harris to produce a brilliant reaction save to his left before Gedling nodded in the rebound.
And moments later, summing up Leatherhead’s decline, Matt Geard's long range shot struck a divot to divert it past the diving Harris.
"That just about summed it up for us," admitted Sullivan, who will be appealing against the decision to send him off.
"I did not say anything to deserve that. Apparently someone said ‘where did they get this clown from?’ but no-one know where that came from, particularly, as the dugouts are right up against the stand.
"It could have come from anywhere but the linesman cralled the ref over".
He had mixed feelings about Coke: “]on was clearly upst and he had stud marks in his shin. From where I was, which wasn't a great position, I felt it was a 50-50 ball when he got hurt and players do get upset about situations?
Keen on revenge against a side who beat them 6-2 in January - a defeat which ironically sparked their best run of the season - Tanners got the best possible start by going ahead within 25 seconds.
Hutchings sucked in a slugglish defence down the centre before squaring the ball for Andrews to crack in from just inside the box.
The pitch made Leatherhead’s passing game difficult, YMCA putting them under sustained pressure as the first half went on. Chris Boulter, impressive all season in the centre of defence and now secured for next term, had to clear a John Westcott shot off the line on 15 minutes, Neil Watt’s ferocious follow-up being brilliantly saved by Harris high to his left.
If the ice cream van which arrived was a touch optimistic, both sides could feel they were creating chances.
The hosts levelled on 35 minutes, a scramble of bodies being ended by Tom Manton shooting from the edge of the box. Hutchings had already I blasted well over on the break and now both he and Mark Simmons had shots saved by Toni Di Barnado while Andrews blasted way over after an intelligent ball out from the impressive Corbett.
In such conditions goals always looked likely to come, Rob Hill threading a ball down the left for Hutchings to time his run. and shot delightfully and put Leatherhead back ahead but all their work was to come to nothing.
