Still In the Rut - Sunday Review

Hendon 1-2 Leatherhead

Ryman League Premier Division

Sunday 6^th November 2011

Vale Farm

I have thought long and hard about this one for a couple of reasons. Firstly, I don’t want to be too knee-jerk (emphasis on the jerk) in my reactions to yesterday and secondly, I don’t want to do Leatherhead out of any credit due for their efforts and fully deserved win. Perhaps it’s best to let the number to speak for themselves though. In our last three league matches, all of which have been at home, we have faced two newly promoted sides and two sides who were occupying the bottom two places in the division. Our return has been a single point.

I know there have been mitigating factors with the ever lengthening injury list, there were perhaps half a dozen stood watching when they could otherwise have expected to have started if fit, but the XVI players named in the squad lacked absolutely nothing for the required experience or quality to win games at this level. The feeling very much remains that having taken the lead in all three of these matches (plus the League Cup tie at Harrow) that 2 months ago, we would have come away with at least 6 or 7 points. That we have taken an early lead against Met Police and again yesterday and gone into the break behind asks quite a few questions.

In spite of this, we remain 5^th in the table, only Lowestoft have a game in hand behind us and we still have the joint best defensive record in the division with AFC Hornchurch so there are reasons to remain positive. Our next 5 league matches could well end up making or breaking our season as we have to play Canvey Island and Billericay Town (FA Trophy commitments permitting) at home and Lowestoft Town, Cray Wanderers and AFC Hornchurch away. We desperately need, somehow, to get key man back fit and in the side and look to regain the solid shape that we began the season with if this term isn’t to emulate last year and slither away down into the sewer after going out of the FA Cup.

Things began so brightly yesterday as well, Chico Ramos superbly tipping over an Isaiah Rankin header that was destined for the top corner of the net before from the ensuing corner, the ball bounced up and hit Rob Hill on the hand. The referee was well positioned and pointed straight away to the spot, and to Leatherhead’s credit, their players didn’t debate the decision. There was some debate as to whether or not it was a penalty, whilst it unquestionably struck Hill on his left hand, there was little he could do as the ball bounced up and struck him, his hand remaining by his side. It was a decision that would have gone against us as many times as it would go for us. The man whose opinion mattered gave the spot kick and in Jamie Busby’s absence, Elliott Charles gleefully sent Ramos the wrong way to give the Greens a 6^th minute advantage.

Chico tries to out-fox Elliott Charles from the Spot...

Rather than build on the early goal and go for the jugular, Hendon were unable to take the game by the scruff of the neck. Leatherhead began to settle, their 5 man midfield quickly getting the upper hand over James Archer and Kevin Maclaren in the middle for Hendon. Dave Diedhiou and Barnet loanee Mauro Vilhete began wide for the Greens, but they were unable to offer much in the way of help for the two in the centre. For all of that, Hendon were close to extending their lead when a superb pass by Maclaren found Charles on the edge of the box and he in turn found the overlapping Diedhiou on the right flank. The big fella swung a dangerous cross in around the edge of the 6 yard box that Vilhete flung himself at full length but was just unable to connect with, and as a consequence the danger passed.

As far as Leatherhead were concerned that is as play was swiftly transferred to the other end and Kev Terry, who was outstanding ploughing a lone furrow up front on his own found himself in behind James Parker and as Thomas spread himself, he dinked a beautiful little lob over the goalkeeper and into the net. It’s the kind of finish I used to dream about, but rarely executed as a kid. 

A decent re-creation of Kev Terry's goal yesterday, in mirror image.

That was the catalyst for the visitors to take complete control of the half, and although they didn’t trouble Thomas unduly, they looked the more cohesive unit and played some good stuff, taking advantage of the extra body in the middle of the park. What turned out to be the winner came 11 minutes before the break when the ball fell for Mark Simmons just outside the D, he struck a low shot that appeared to take a deflection on it’s way through and wrong foot the Hendon custodian, before nestling in the bottom corner of the net. The half petered out pretty quickly with Leatherhead in complete control, and bafflement being the look on most Greens Fans brows.

Most of the 2^nd half was played out in the Leatherhead half as Hendon looked for a way back into the game. For all the possession they enjoyed, they lacked the guile and wit to breach the stoic Leatherhead defence superbly marshaled by joint boss Jamie Coyle. Loud shots for a penalty were waved away early on when James Archer broke into the box before being stopped by what looked to this observer, a good clean challenge by Hill or Chris Boulter before Elliott Charles stretched to meet a Parker cross but couldn’t direct his header on target.

I couldn’t help but feel at times that we were a bit predictable in our approach at times (this is something I agreed with from the twitter feed from the game). I have no problem with playing a target man and looking to hit him early, but I’m not sure how wise it is when the centre half, in this case Coyle, has the beating of the striker in the air 80% of the time and there are no green shirts around Charles to contest, never mind pick up, the 2^nd balls. It meant that all too often attacks broke down before they’d really got started and it was only when we got tried to get in down the sides or into the channels that we looked at our most dangerous.

Coyle was again at his best blocking a powerful Rankin shot at point blank range, and Hendon forced a number of corners, which were either dealt with by Ramos coming out to punch clear, not always convincingly, or on one occasion, scrambled onto his near post as Cousins neatly whipped a low one in towards goal. Chris Boulter cleared off the line late on, and a late effort went narrowly wide, but if the second half was to be described as a siege, then it was one where the battering ram was made of foam rather than wood, where the arrows were made of paper rather than flint. Despite the balls into the box, despite the half chances created, I never really felt we looked like we were going to equalise and as such, I couldn’t begrudge Leatherhead the points.

They were whole-hearted, committed and playing for each-other. They were well organised, well drilled and looked lively going forward. It’s hard to see them going down on this evidence, particularly when you consider that they were without their two leading scorers, Tommy Hutchings suspended and Greg Andrews on honeymoon. Coyle and Richard Brady have clearly done a good job so far in getting the side united and believing in themselves, that they can compete in the Ryman Prem. To be honest, I’d really like to see them stay up. They seemed like a good bunch yesterday, good luck to them in their battle to stay up.

For the Greens, things don’t look quite so rosy at the moment, but as we know, that can turn around in a heartbeat. A clean sheet, a scrappy 1-0 win against Canvey next Saturday and all of a sudden belief returns, and the trip to Suffolk and Lowestoft doesn’t look so daunting. James Fisher continues his rehabilitation and talk was of Elliot Godfrey and Greg Ngoyi both nearing a return within the next week to 10 days. It was also good to see Carl McCluskey return from the substitutes bench yesterday. But the fact remains that things need to improve quickly if we’re serious about looking at a play off bid this term. I know there’s still 29 matches to play, but we saw last season just how quickly the wheels can fall off and a campaign just peter out into a slightly depressing anti-climax. A big challenge awaits the management team and players to see how they can respond. We’re still fully behind you.

I was going to use this pic before the Aveley game. But Carl Griffiths (Red & White) has left them now. So y'know, meh.

Player Ratings

1. Sean Thomas: Left no chance with either goal and otherwise had little to do. One fairly straightforward save from a Simmons chip in the 2^nd half and a couple of good catches in the first half from crosses. 6/10

2. James Parker: I’m not entirely convinced about Parks at right back. Terry got in behind him for the first Leatherhead goal, although he has played there before, I think he’s better in the middle. 6

3. Scott Cousins: Defensively sound, lured into overhitting some of the balls into Charles on a couple of occasions. Very nearly scored direct from a corner in the 2^nd half. 6

4. Ryan Wharton: Another very sound display from the centre half, good in the air, even better on the ground and a little bit of class when bringing the ball forward in the second half. Another good performance. 7

5. Bradley Fraser: He may be suffering from not getting a run of games, and although generally defended pretty well, I don’t have the same confidence in him as I do Michael Peacock, I always get the impression he’s moments away from dropping a rickett. Did well enough yesterday though. 6

6. Kevin Maclaren: I thought considering he was pretty overwhelmed in the midfield in the first half he put in a good performance. Passed the ball well and made two or three very good challenges indeed. Shame he’ll be suspended next week. 7

7. James Archer: Worked hard in midfield, and came alive a bit after the break when he played a bit wider. Don’t think he’s a natural central midfielder and was out-fought at times in the first half. Better at full back on this evidence. 6

8. Dave Diedhiou: Sometimes you just to shake him and ask him to make the most of his imposing figure and dominate games from the midfield, put himself about a bit more. 5

9. Elliott Charles: Smartly taken penalty, and probably as usual, our liveliest attacking threat again. Dominated in the air for a change though, and I do wish he’d learn to stay onside, particularly considering he has pace to burn. 6

10. Isaiah Rankin: Some touches of class, and did well considering he spent much of the afternoon out on one flank or the other. Unlucky early on when his header was saved, and probably carried as much goal threat as anyone did. Ran out of puff. 6

11. Mauro Vilhete: Definitely has something about him, but was largely muscled out of things. Could have done with changing his studs in the first half, but there were moments of promise. 6

Substitutes

13. Carl McCluskey: Came on for the last half an hour, which was good to see after his knock last week. Unable to really influence proceedings though. 5

14. Belal Aite-Ouakrim: Replaced Rankin with 20 minutes remaining, ran up a couple of blind alleys and got little change from the Leatherhead back line. 5

15. James Fisher: Late replacement for Dave Diedhiou

Star Man: Kevin Maclaren

Match Rating: 6/10

Verdict: Once again Hendon fail to hold on to a lead and look a shadow of the side that they were at the start of the season. Leatherhead fully deserved the 3 points based on their work rate and organisation alone. More performances of this ilk, and they will stay up reasonably comfortably. There are plenty worse sides in the division on this evidence.