Croydon Athletic 3 Leatherhead 2

A pulsating contest at the Ken Tuckey Stadium saw Tanners slip to a narrow defeat after a late strike from Gareth Williams won the points for third-placed Croydon Athletic, writes Richard Wilkinson.

Tanners had started brightly and soon signalled their intentions when after five minutes a low drive from midfielder Marc Simmons flashed just wide of Nicky Morgan’s left-hand post, but Croydon responded when Ben Godfrey broke free on the right but sent his skimming shot narrowly wide.

For a while chances were few and far between as both defences held the upper hand, but the game burst into life midway through the half.

First, Matt Francis tricked his way past his marker on the left and fed Simmons but his shot was disappointing and Morgan saved easily, then Rory Hill glanced a header just wide for the hosts.

However, the Tanners were continually causing problems on both flanks and, when Elliot Thompson went storming down the right, his low cross was converted at the far post by Francis to put the Tanners in front.

Croydon showed plenty of energy and dominated possession but couldn’t make any headway against a resolute Tanners rearguard and the interval came with the Greens holding a slender advantage.

However, that was all to change very quickly after half time.

On 53 minutes a soft looking header by Tom Bolarinwa from a left wing corner somehow crept into the corner of the net, and then just two minutes later, the same player caused havoc down the right and his low cross was converted on the line by Gareth Williams.

That quick fire double looked to have broken the Tanners’ resilience but they gradually fought their back into the game, and when Tommy Hutchings got the better of Daniel Sintim on the left wing he looked up and played a superb ball into the path of the ubiquitous Thompson who capped a fine display with a cool finish.

Ram’s Chris Bourne was fortunate not to see red for kicking out off the ball and then Simmons saw yellow along with Thompson for the Tanners soon followed by Ben Lewis of the hosts as the game became niggly.

Both sides made changes as Jamie Beer replaced a limping Matt Francis, and Greg Andrews came on for Rob Hill with the hosts also making a double substitution in a bid to take the three points.

And it was the hosts who stole it when on 85 minutes Williams picked the ball up on the left and beat two defenders before lashing a drive into the top left hand corner giving Harris no chance.

Tanners rallied again, and Boulter sent a header wide from a Simmons free kick, and then with the final kick of the game Dan Dean shot wide from 12 yards as Tanners threw everyone forward in a last ditch attempt to snatch a point.

However it wasn’t to be and ultimately Leatherhead will be disappointed to return empty handed from a game in which they more than matched their promotion chasing hosts.

Leatherhead: Harris, Coke, Boulter, Dean, Goodwell, Elston (Smith), Thomson, Simmons, Hill (Andrews), Hutching’s, Francis (Beer)