Whyteleafe dissolve the Salts - again - to march on in the FA Vase

Whyteleafe are still going strong in two cup competitions after a 3-2 extra time win at Epsom & Ewell keeps them in the hat for the next round of the FA Vase.

Boss John Fowler, who has guided his charges to the second qualifying round of the FA Cup this weekend, welcomed back Taylor Smith from injury, while Sam Clayton was missing with a fractured ankle.

It is the third time the sides have met this season, after Whyteleafe beat the Salts 6-1 in an FA Cup replay.

The Salts started brightly, taking the lead in the 10th minute through Nathan Ayling, but they needed keeper Kieran Campbell at the top of his game to keep out efforts from Roscoe DSane, Ryan Fowler and Adam Broomhead as Leafe turned the pressure on.

It was not all one-way traffic, and Epsom & Ewell’s Karl Doughlin, up against one of his former clubs, hit a low shot narrowly wide.

Putting on the pressure: Adam Broomhead was among many Leafe players to bring the best out of Salts keeper Kieran Campbell

However, Campbell in the Salts goal had to be at his best again to deny Fowler and Jason Thompson before the break, while at the other end Aaron Leacock was on hand to clear off the line when Kyle Hough had rounded Leafe keeper Sheikh Ceesay.

After the break, Whyteleafe continued to pile on the pressure with Thompson and Bentley Graham both going close, and Fowler was again foiled by Campbell in the Salts goal.

The Leafe breakthrough came when Graham’s effort from 10 yards was not held by Campbell and Smith gratefully gobbled up the rebound.

In the final minutes of normal time, Graham had one more chance for Leafe, shooting narrowly wide from 12 yards, whilst Ceesay was forced to push a shot over the bar from a last-ditch corner at the other end.

An additional 30 minutes began with Whyteleafe in control once more; both Thompson and Fowler seeing shots charged down by an increasingly crowded home defence and on 94 minutes Campbell produced another top drawer save from Smith.

Leafe took the lead from the penalty spot after Smith was tripped by Campbell – Thompson lashing home the spot kick.

Then, with 11 minutes of extra time remaining, Leafe substitute Jensen Grant cut a cross back from the by-line to Fowler who controlled the ball then smashed it into the top of the net to extend their lead further.

Thompson then produced arguably Campbell’s save of the match, hitting a fierce low drive that saw the full-stretch stopper push the ball around his post.

Hope: Kyle Hough's extra-time goal gave Whyteleafe a nervy ending    SP72974

Any thoughts of playing out time were dashed when Hough broke clear of the Leafe defence to slot home for 2-3 and a tense final few minutes saw James Taylor head narrowly wide, and Doughlin squander a good shooting opportunity at the death.

Whyteleafe’s FA Cup clash at Church Road with Chatham Town kicks off at 3pm - and they travel to Holmesdale in the Southern Counties East Football League on Tuesday.

Whyteleafe: Ceesay, Abraham, Tommy Smith, Leacock, Broomhead, Thompson, R Fowler (Johnson 111), Graham, DSane (Hynes 99), Jackson (Grant 62), Taylor Smith. 

Subs not used: Pratt, Burnett