Marlow finally end their Westfield hoodoo- whilst Tanners need penalties to defeat Southall

Marlow have been our great entertainers this season, top scorers in the Pitching In Isthmian League- and last night they added three more to finally overcome Westfield at the Alfred Davis Ground.

The Woking side had somehow defeated their hosts three times this season, and entered the match filled with confidence- and they stood toe to toe with their hosts once more before finally succumbing in Extra Time. The first goal of a night which was to see four more finally arrived just before the hour mark, Josh Masters setting up Ben Mulley to open the scoring. The hosts could have had a second, but Sonny Wheeler saved a penalty, before the visitors quickly levelled, Caleb Wright heading home. The visitors then had a period of dominance, but the hosts had deadly Dawid Rogalski, and six minutes from time he restored their lead with his FORTY FIRST goal of the season, converting a cross from Naheer-Omar Nawaf.

Surely that was that- only, it wasn’t! At the other end, and with only three minutes left, up went Alfie Huckle to head home- and it was two-two. Eight added minutes brought more incident but no more goals, and we were off into Extra Time.

On ninety six minutes the crucial goal arrived. A free kick was taken, and Brandon Curtis fired in a shot, and the ball took a deflection and found the net. Three-two to the hosts- and this time, it was a lead they held.

Six hundred and fourteen were in attendance.

Image courtesy of Westfield.

Leatherhead, who ended the campaign in third place, headed into the play offs with the accolade of having the best defence in the league, an achievement they shared with South East champions Cray Valley PM. That said, after a first half with a plethora of chances but no goals, the Tanners defence was breached just after half time- Jaden Thompson-Brissett doing what he does best for the thirty fourth time this season and giving The All the lead. It was a lead they held for just under a quarter of an hour before Tyler Cox took the ball, ran at the Southall defence and found the top corner, and that turned out to be that- even extra time couldn’t bring us another goal.

Of we went to the dreaded shootout, with both sides missing their openers, but eventually, and after more trial and tribulation, the Tanners triumphed three-two. That was the fourth time the sides had met this season, and after last night both have won two of those- but that was undoubtedly the most important of the lot. One thousand and fifty three watched on.

Leatherhead will travel to Marlow on Sunday.

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