Ryman League Division One South

Whyteleafe 1

Leatherhead 2

STUART Massey was left trying to work out how Rob O'Hara let in Whyteleafe's first goal after his Church Road side were caught by the classic sucker punch on Tuesday night.

Tommy Hutchings scored a rare right foot strike in the last few minutes when the game looked destined for a draw.

But without wishing to overly criticise keeper O'Hara, the manager was clearly flabbergasted by how the tall stopper was beaten at his near post from a free-kick.

It looked as if victory would elude the visitors, who appeared the fitter side, especially when Mark Simmonds hit the post with about 10 minutes left and Hutchings' follow up was cleared off the line at the second attempt.

However, Hutchings eventually caught a shot just right to send the ball past Rob O'Hara, whose mistake on 16 minutes had given Leatherhead the lead.

The tall goalkeeper had lined up his wall and placed himself centrally in goal.

It was probable that he was expecting Greg Andrews, wide on the left, to direct his free-kick fully 40 yards from goal into the centre of the penalty area. But instead he spotted the gap and scored, much to the keeper's embarrassment, at the near post.

Massey said he had not got to the bottom of what exactly happened. "Rob has been excellent for us this season. But in the last two games he's made an error. Otherwise he's been outstanding for us."

The giant stopper has saved a number of penalties during the campaign, for example. Massey was pleased with Leafe's first 45 minutes. "I thought we were excellent in the first half.

"It's the best we've played for a good few weeks. We should have taken out chances and we didn't.

"We had three players carrying knocks - Rob Kember, Freddie Fleming and Dan Aldous - and we probably suffered a bit of tiredness in the last 15 minutes."

Kember, who went in full-blooded with an opponent, both of whom struck the ball, had to hobble off, his troublesome ankle playing up and making him a doubt for Saturday's home game with Walton & Hersham and next Tuesday's game with Whitstable, again at Church Road.

Ellis Conroy, like Aldous a full-back, was in Manchester working and midfielder Mark Hammond, having finished his degree, should be available.

Fitness, however, will be a priority in the summer for Massey, as he eyes progression at the club.

"We've got to work on a few of ours in the summer. We've said that from the beginning, that we've not been fit enough all season."

Chris O'Flaherty was again busy on the left wing, shooting an early chance over the bar, before Daryl Coleman was booked for an early challenge.

Then on 16 minutes came Andrews' free-kick to give the visitors the lead.

Leafe, pressing with their preferred high energy game in the first half, had several openings, but twice managed to head chances away from Leatherhead's goal when in the six-yard box, with players unable to get fully to the ball.

Josh Smith, against his old side, put in one cross that O'Flaherty headed back across goal.

Eventually, on 38 minutes, striker Darren Watson finally headed in the equaliser. A minute later he drew a point-blank save from Colin Harris.

Danny Oakins blasted a chance over before the half was out.

The second half was a tamer affair in terms of chances, but Oakins drew a point-blank save from the keeper again shortly after the break.

Boulter had the measure of Leafe's attackers. Luke Pidgeon crossed but nobody converted, Hutchings volleyed wide, O'Flaherty's trickery caused sufficient problems for Elliott Thompson to receive a booking, and Harris saved from Watson after the resulting free-kick.

Hutchings flashed a shot across goal before he scored, before Hutchings eventually scored to settle the points.

Whyteleafe: O'Hara, Aldous, Coleman R, Fleming, Oakins, Goodchild, Smith, Kember (McCann 68), Watson, Coleman D, O'Flaherty.