AFC Whyteleafe round-up

September got off to a flying start with a cracking game at Church Road, with Leafe welcoming early league pacesetters Redhill led by Old Leafe favourite Tommy Smith.

A thoroughly entertaining game in which Redhill started better and were rewarded early on with an own goal in the 8th minute: an unlucky Antone Douglas heading into his own net via the crossbar as he went to clear a corner. Leafe levelled a minute later, after a mazy run and cool finish by Ryan Gondoh. Redhill had the better of the exchanges though, and took another deserved lead through Hogan in the 21st minute, but Leafe again equalised ten minutes later, with a lovely strike from Bennet. 2-2 at the break. 

The second half started in similar style, with both teams striving to find an opening. Leafe got the reward on 55 minutes when Omari Delgado-Hibbert slammed home a penalty, before enjoying their best spell of the game: it seemed Redhill were beginning to feel the strain of the fast pace. But Leafe failed to break them down further, and it came back to bite them late on. After losing a player to the sin bin for the last 10 minutes, Redhill took advantage through Harland-Goddard on 81 mins and struck the winner in the last minute after a thunderous Tommy Smith struck the bar and Grant poked it home in the following scramble. Redhill continue to be the side to beat so far and have yet to drop points at this stage of the season. Let’s hope the return game in the New Year is half as entertaining.

Another home game followed a few days later, with Leafe hammering Horley 5-1, with a hat-trick from Delgado-Hibbert and further goals from Gondoh and Gabriel Gyeabour. Lewis Perch got Horley’s goal, but this game really could have been more.

A week later, Leafe travelled to Corinthian Casuals in another top four clash. Casuals started off brightly and seemed to have control early but got caught with a quick Whyteleafe break: Gondoh put Leafe ahead in four minutes.

Leafe seemed to be bossing it, but Casuals drew level after sloppy play gifted them possesion and Kieron Cadogan gratefully put the ball past Shaw. Cadogan is a proven goal scorer at much higher levels than this and he will always punish sides like this. Leafe continued to press though and went ahead six minutes before half-time, Delgado-Hibbert tapping home at the near post after a great move down the left. 

Leafe could have had more goals in the second half, especially at the introduction of Mico Gaspar, who was linking well with James Teodorescu and providing good chances that were wasted. Leafe had to wait until the 77th minute for the winner, when Gondoh sprang the offside trap and slotted home. He was rewarded with a yellow card for a somewhat bizarre celebration in front of the home fans.

Sheerwater were next up, at Church Road. Another win, with goals through Dan Bennett and a penalty from Aaron Watson after Gus Ward was judged to have been brought down in the area by Sheerwater keeper Chris Adams. Sheerwater had scored to level things up in the second half before this and Leafe had to win it with 10 men after Gondoh was sent off for a second yellow. Discipline may yet come to cost Leafe later in the campaign.

Next was a change from league action, with the visit of Soul Tower Hamlets in the FA Vase. Soul TH are a charity community project from London that do a lot more than just run a football team for youngsters. They acquitted themselves well but chances were few and far between and Leafe ran out winners in the 73rd minute through Ward. It was not a classic tie but both sets of fans seemed interested in each others’ stories and backgrounds and it was an enjoyable evening.

League Cup action next and Leafe entertained Fleet Town. Fleet are doing well in the league and have not dropped any points, but both teams seemed to put out fringe players to rest some and give others match time. Leafe controlled the game from start to finish but struggled to get the ball in the net, settling for a Ward goal in the first half and late goals from Delgado-Hibbert and Sirak Nagassi in the second for a 3-0 win. The league game in a few weeks will be a tougher proposition.

League action again for Leafe’s last September game and the long journey to Tadley Calleva in the Hampshire countryside. Leafe started well, taking the lead through Delgado-Hibbert on nine minutes, before Kieran Rogers was the lucky recipient of a lapsed Whyteleafe defense and a generous offside decision, to level things up after 26. Leafe then scored a beautifully crafted goal, with great work from Gaspar who found Watson unmarked for an easy tap-in.

The second half was cagey, with chances few and far between. Most of Tadley’s came from lax Leafe passing from the back, who were lucky to stay ahead when the home side hit the bar and forced Shaw to save low down. Leafe sealed the win in injury time, when Ward coolly passed it beyond the keeper and into the net. 

As September ends, Leafe find themselves four points behind leaders Redhill in the league and still in the FA Vase and the League Cup. A busy October to come. 

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