Tanners finally find form...and it's all square at Moatside

Leatherhead supporters can't have been enjoying this season. With no league victory since the 18th August, and indeed no victory at all since mid September, the Tanners have been in freefall- and yet at no point, with perhaps the exception of a hammering at Folkestone Invicta, have they played like relegation candidates. They have simply had no luck whatsoever as they plunged to 21st in the table.

Last night they hosted former tenants Kingstonian, and it looked like more of the same when the K's took a second minute lead through Alfie Doughty. But it took Travis Gregory only four minutes more to level the match, before- six minutes after the break- D'sean Theobalds got the ball just outside the K's box, bobbed and weaved his way forward leaving five defenders looking on, and fired home. The side in green held on to guarantee all three points and climbed to eighteenth, above Brightlingsea Regent, Whitehawk and Burgess Hill Town- and with matches in hand over those around them could even climb above the K's, who sit in eleventh, were they to win them all.

Tanners manager Nikki Bill, speaking after the game, couldn't hide his delight. "I do feel like results haven't reflected performances over the past four to six weeks, I feel like we've been unfortunate in games...I don't like blaming luck, but the reality is that I don't think we've had the points returned from the performances. I have been saying to the boys that eventually you get what you deserve, and that reward came for them tonight." You can watch that interview here.

Not too far away in Merstham, the home side were looking to continue their fine progress- with only one league defeat since August the home side have been quietly climbing the table. Margate were the visitors, back in Surrey after victory at Leatherhead at the weekend. Could they take another three points back to the Kent coast? In a word, no- but they did get one. Tayshan Hayden-Smith gave Merstham a first half lead in conditions that suggested the Gate had brought a sea-fret with them, but Margate equalised with a Liam Friend header from a Frannie Colin cross to earn a draw. Margate are ninth, Merstham twelfth.