Leatherhead 1 Tonbridge Angels 0

Match 114/18/1707 - Saturday, 6th April 2019 - Bostik Premier

Leatherhead (0) 1 Gallagher 73
Tonbridge Angels (0) 0
Attendance: 505

Admission: £7 Senior
Programme: £2
Mileage: 110/6,717

The business end of a season becomes a time when results mean everything and performances count for nothing which rarely contributes to games of any quality. Coming into the match, Leatherhead, sitting just outside the play-off positions, needed the result marginally more than Tonbridge and their celebrations at the end of a hard fought game emphasised its importance.

Chances throughout the 90 minutes were thin on the ground, the fact that any of the four central defenders could have been awarded the man-of-the-match is testament to the lack of quality in the final third from both sides.

Leatherhead’s winner, in the 73rd minute, was shrouded with controversy as the visitors claimed both hand ball and offside but, in a game that became obvious would be won by a single goal, the referee brushed aside the protests.

On a drying, bobbly pitch that did very few favours, Tonbridge opened the game with a couple of half chances following Arthur Lee long throws, the first of which saw Joe Turner test Zaki Oualah, quickly followed by Adem Ramadan’s effort having a identical result.

Ramadan, who enjoyed a lively first period, burst into the penalty area, but fired his shot over before Leatherhead’s opening attempt on goal after 22 minutes saw a free kick headed at Jonny Henly by Jerry Nmamani.

The closest either side got to scoring in the first half was when Leatherhead’s Shaun Okojie, a 29th minute substitute for Craig McGee, hit the bar with the follow-up from Travis Gregory being blocked.

Okojie was to go close again after seven minutes of the second half as Leatherhead picked up the momentum.

The game continued to be one of little goalmouth action until the pivotal moment in the match. A Leatherhead free kick was sent to the far post by Charlie Hester-Cook where two home side players were positioned, the furthest played the ball against the hand of his team mate before the ball was half-cleared and then recycled down the right for Ibrahim Olutade to cross for Daniel Gregory to force the ball home from close range.

Henly kept the game alive for the Angels with ten minutes remaining with an excellent touch over the bar of a shot from Mnamani and whilst Tonbridge attempted to mount a grandstand finish there was no be no late reprieve.

An honest appraisal from Steve McKimm said afterwards that Leatherhead deserved their win because they did the ugly things better. Ugly was a good word to describe the whole event.