Tanners slipped to a 1-0 defeat at Fleet despite a strong second half showing which with a bit of luck would have seen them bag a deserved point.

It was the Tanners who nearly drew first blood when Tommy Hutching’s 20 yard volley dipped narrowly past the near post, but Fleet soon whipped up a frenzied storm of attacks and were rewarded in the seventh minute.

The pacey Wheeler broke down the left and nutmegged right back Jamie Hancock before sliding an inch perfect cross to the unmarked Smart who slotted home with ease.

Five minutes later Crag Bradshaw saved Tanners with a finger tip save, and then another break down the wing nearly saw Fleet extend their lead but this time the finishing touch was lacking.

Sandwiched between this action in the Tanners half, was a fine strike from Michael Morgan which was held at a comfortable height by the Smalley in the home goal, but Morgan then found himself booked by the referee for an innocuous looking foul on the Fleet full back, as the came descended into a niggly spell.

On the stroke of the interval Tanners had their best chance of the half when a Hutching’s corner saw Iain Hendry leap highest but he couldn’t quite direct his header and it powered over the bar.

After the break the Tanners strode out in purposeful fashion, and just five minutes in Hutchings cross just evaded the onrushing Kev Terry and was put behind for a corner.

Hutchings then found Terry free on the right with a sublime pass, but the Tanner’s midfielder took a touch and his shot was deflected behind by a superb last ditch tackle from the Fleet full back.

Fleet still looked dangerous going forward and Bradshaw pulled off a smart save diving to his right to turn the ball behind for a corner, but the Tanners responded with a corner of their own and Dominic O Shea clipped the bar with a flicked header.

On the hour mark Hancock saw yellow for felling the Fleet left winger, and shortly after Tony Cuff was replaced by Josh Smith, followed by Terry making way for the physical presence of Kwabena Agyei.

O’ Shea was then denied by an excellent save from the Fleet custodian, tipping his 20 yarder around the post, and shortly after he bettered that by getting a finger tip on Hutching’s vicious free kick from 30 yards which crashed off the underside of the bar.

A Fleet defender went down holding his head in the ensuing the melee, and when Hassan’s vicious drive was spilt by Smalley in front of Agyei, this time the keeper was also afflicted by a head injury which fortunately he bravely overcame.

A couple of dangerous corners flashed across the Tanners box with headed efforts going narrowly wide, and then Tanners final chance came when the ball fell to Centre Back Chris Boulter 10 yards out but he lashed his shot into the side netting.

Fleet succeeded in running down the clock and to the astonishment of the away supporters a mere two minutes of injury time were added for the 4 subs and two lengthy injuries, and the last action from the ref was to book a frustrated Hutchings for dissent, moments before the final whistle.

Tanners might have left empty handed but were far from disgraced against one of the favoutites for promotion.

Leatherhead: Craig Bradshaw, James Hancock, Luke Adams, Chris Boulter, Iain Hendry, Hassan Nyang, Michael Morgan, Tony Cuff (Kwabena Agyei), Kev Terry (Josh Smith), Dominic O’Shea, Tommy Hutchings,