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Midweek we made a second trip to Folkestone Invicta, the earlier journey a wasted one due to floodlight failure. Enter stage left one Richard Dimmock a rotund but experienced forward, latterly of Thamesmead who despite a lack of fitness showed some quality touches as we slid to a narrow 1-0 defeat. We did get the ball in the net just after the break but scorer Ryan Gray was adjudged offside by lino Mr Magoo, despite no appeal from their defenders. A bloke even leant out of the club shop window to tell me "there was nothing wrong with that" perhaps fearing I was about to set fire to it, which was quite tempting. To compound our misery Smudger was shown red again after two yellows each for innocuous challenges that a midfielder is paid to make. Ridiculous!
The Saturday after, hurrah, we beat Dulwich at home a late Dimmock header adding to a strike from Callum. On Valentine's Day a rather unromantic 0-0 home draw to Whitstable was notable only for the introduction of Lennie Piper, a former Wimbledon Youth Team player, now of some vintage, a little portly and with a beard that gave a passing resemblance to Peter Sutcliffe. He impressed with his touch and pace over short distances, but it was to be the one and only appearance of his Leafe career.
By now, the R word, not recession but relegation was being openly discussed as we lumbered in 15th place with the bottom two likely to drop. Crowborough were by now resigned to going, but the second spot was within range of a number of struggling combos including this one! With no such worries were surprise package East bourne Town who completed their double over us with a depressing 2-1 reverse at Church Road, the beginning of a dire run that saw a woeful 0-0 draw at Walton Casuals, a ghastly 0-2 loss to eventual champions Kingstonian, a similar trouncing by the thoroughly professional Fleet Town whose long-standing boss Andy Sinton was a proper gent and their Chairman fittingly puffing on a cigar the size of a tree trunk.
Richard "Charlie" Dimmock departed, having shown some lovely touches but clearly with fitness issues I can relate to and he was replaced by Sean Rivers who had been on a brief tour of the circuit and was to play the rest of the season, alas with little reward.
In early March the trip to Croydon Athletic, a club now spending money like lottery winners on acid, was eagerly awaited, a huge grudge match that would surely end in blood sweat and tears - off the pitch and on? As it turned out we played in a monsoon, an utter monsoon and it turned into a mutual respect filled love in, oh and a 0-0 draw not half as bad as it sounds. The Crem Trotters have finished the campaign very strongly and must already be the bookies favourite for next term - assuming the money keeps coming, whilst the people don't.
Next, a trip to the coast and big boys Worthing, as club I have always been very fond of with a "big club feel", some very eccentric supporters and quite a happy hunting ground for Leafe. So it proved again when a fine display was rewarded with a late Rob Smith equaliser, thoroughly deserved for an attacking display that really deserved to win. An interesting addition against Croydon and Worthing was Jay Conroy, brother of Ellis, a class act who can play anywhere. Sadly he proved that by deciding to play for AFC Wimbledon instead! No hard feelings though and his brother Ellis has got better and better making the right-back role his own. Another debutant was Nigel Ikolodo a raw young talent from Three Bridges whose pace up front was to terrify Worthing upon his late introduction and every defence he faced thereafter.
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