Leafe ended February top of the league and in the semi-final of the League Cup; the second leg of which was played on the last Saturday of the month. Already 3-0 down from the first leg, Leafe picked an all-out attacking team against a strong Corinthian side and soon found themselves a goal down inside five minutes. Four nil down on aggregate: it seemed impossible. However, Leafe began to dominate the rest of the half, and were soon awarded a penalty, but it was struck poorly by Aaron Watson and easily saved by the Corinthian keeper.
In fact, their keeper made several good saves until Watson managed to then level things back up to 1:1. Leafe continued to attack and were ahead soon after half-time, thanks to a beautiful curling shot from Mike Hill. It looked like Leafe may spring an unlikely comeback, and the first signs of panic were showing in the Corinthian line-up. But with 20 minutes left, they got a free kick 40 yards away from goal. Their skipper Jamie Billings then struck what was, in all honesty, an absolute belter, that left James Shaw in the Leafe goal for dead and restored Corinthians’ three-goal advantage. This seemed to deflate Leafe and the game petered out to a two-all draw. A valiant effort by Leafe, but now they could, as the old cliche goes, concentrate on the league.
A lackluster Leafe left it late against K Sports on Saturday, 2 March. The first half was best forgotten, and the second not much better, with K Sports happy to sit back, with all their players behind the ball, and timewaste when they could. And, to everyone’s amazement, when their goalie took out Gaspar Mico, the referee and his assistant deemed that it was actually a foul on the keeper. We’ve seen some baffling refereeing this year, but this would probably win the top prize for incompetence.
Two goals in injury time secured the points for Leafe. The first was an absolute beauty from Taureen Roberts, followed a few minutes later by one from Adam Allen.
A week later, Leafe travelled to Larkfield and New Hythe who, back at the very end of September, delivered Leafe’s first defeat in the league this season. Larks made a quick start to this one too and were a goal up within five minutes, thanks to a well-struck penalty from Day. Leafe could not get a grip on the game and but for a string of fine saves from James Shaw, could have lost this one by a bigger margin. Our first away defeat of the season, and a few disappointing performances from the boys in green.
The following game, at home to Tooting Bec, was not much better. A sloppy start saw Leafe down early again. Watson squared things before the break and the second-half saw Leafe control possession, but they failed to really make any clear chances against a stubborn opposition, who held out for a draw.
March Madness descended on Leafe’s last game of the month, away to Bridon Ropes. Leafe were leading 3-1 and, with 10 minutes to go, the referee abandoned the game after the Bridon Ropes manager and his coaching staff refused to leave the dugout despite several red cards!
Earlier, Leafe had taken the lead through a spectacular Watson shot, before Bridon equalised from a free kick that James Shaw could only save by pushing the ball towards the incoming Lawrence, who gratefully netted the rebound.
The second-half saw Leafe start to dominate, and it wasn’t long before Temi Alaka restored the lead in the 55th minute. Watson then added his second of the afternoon – and his 26th of the season – from the penalty spot in the 75th minute. Leafe seemed to be cruising, but the bizarre ending to the game now means it is for the league and local FA to decide if this result will stand. Surely it has to, as to replay this game would be a license to other teams to do the same thing without punishment. At the time of going to press, the result remains undecided.
We stay at the top of the table, but the chasing pack are closing in. It’s still in their hands, but Leafe needs to be more ruthless in April.
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