LEATHERHEAD bowed out of the FA Cup with a whimper at the first hurdle at Fetcham Grove on Saturday.

The Tanners' lacklustre start to the new campaign continued as they were dumped out of the tournament by an average Burgess Hill side.

The hosts can point to two contentious decisions by the referee and his assistants that changed the course of the game, but in truth there was a lot for manager Mick Sullivan to ponder once again as his side failed to live up to their tag as favourites for the Ryman League South title.

The hosts started the match well, playing the ball around casually and creating openings, but they could not find a breakthrough and they were made to pay for their profligacy in front of goal when the visitors took the lead against the run of play.

Elliott Thompson, Greg Andrews and Jack Macleod all had good opportunities, but all were thwarted before a low Will Berry cross evaded everyone and Lloyd Skinner was completely free to slot home.

Goalkeeper Chico Ramos stood no chance with defensive bodies throwing themselves at the ball in front of him, blocking his sight of the shot.

Soon after and contentious decision number one came into play as Andrews was played through by Tommy Hutchings. The frontman rounded the keeper and tapped into the empty net, but his celebrations were cut short by a dubious offside flag.

Despite that judgement, the Tanners should still have gone into the break level after three goalline blocks in almost as many seconds in the 35th minute.

An unmarked Jack Macleod met a superb low cross by Thompson with a right foot shot that Hillians keeper Joel Harding did well to block. The rebound fell straight back at the feet of Macleod though, whose follow-up was again blocked by the diminutive visiting custodian. The resulting rebound spooned up to Andrews who looked to volley home, but his effort was brilliantly blocked by the impressive Danny Gainsford.

Into the second half and Thompson lobbed over the bar and Andrews shot wide before the second, very contentious decision put the game beyond the Tanners' reach.

A harmless Burgess Hill attack down the right hand side petered out midway inside the Leatherhead half as the ball rolled out of play for a home throw-in, or so everyone in the ground thought except referee Peter Lavelle.

His assistant, standing a mere three feet away, signalled for a Tanners throw, but Lavelle, who had to be more than 20 yards from the byline, overruled the decision and gave the throw to Burgess Hill.

No one could quite believe it, and as oft happens, the visitors scored from the ensuing play, as the home defence failed to organise itself in the wake of the shocking decision.

Neil Watts fed Matt Percival and he rifled home the second.

That was to be the end of any potential fightback from the hosts as their attacking force fizzled out and with it their participation in the FA Cup.

Leatherhead: Ramos, Williams, Goodwell (Terry 78), Boulter, Boswell, Thompson, Graham, Simmons (Odunaike 58), Andrews, Hutchings (Elston 66), Macleod. Unused subs: Coke, Rowe, Jones.