LEATHERHEAD kept their promotion hopes alive with a late victory over local rivals Whyteleafe.

It looked as if victory would elude the visitors, who were the fitter side, especially when Mark Simmons hit the post with about 10 minutes left and Tommy 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.

The Tanners were sucked into Whyteleafe's frenetic tempo in the first half.

Undettered by their early setback, Chris O'Flaherty was busy on the left and Josh Smith had a few openings on the right to create chances.

But twice Leafe players in Leatherhead's six yard box managed to head the ball away from goal.

Eventually, on 38 minutes, Darren Watson headed in a chance with Rob Kember the principal instigator of the chance.

Watson had a further chance, but the keeper saved at close quarters, and Danny Oakins blasted over before the break.

In the second half, Leatherhead gradually worked their way on top, but neither side threatened a great deal.

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

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

Leatherhead: Harris, Coke, Goodwell, Boulter, Dean, Pigden (O'Shea), Terry (Francis), Simmons, Andrews, Hutchings, Thompson. Unused subs: Hill, Corbett, Jones.