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Whyteleafe gained three vital points as they pulled themselves out of the relegation places, with a last minute winner, coming from behind to beat fellow strugglers Godalming.
Chances were few for both sides in the early exchanges. 'Leafe's first arrived in the 13th minute when Fred Fleming headed wide from a Sam Butler corner. Three minutes later, the home team had the ball in the net when Fabian Batchelor won a challenge against keeper Jamie Norris, crossing to Ryan Thomas who turned the ball into the net. Unfortunately the referee ruled that Batchelor had fouled the keeper and was eventually given him a yellow card. Norris failed to recover from the clash and was stretchered off. With no reserve keeper on the bench, defender Neil Baker took over in goal.
Godalming responded positively to this setback and opened the scoring in the 23rd minute. Michael Lidbury parried a shot from Gavin Smith and Fleming cleared off the line, but former 'Leafe striker Dave Stevens was on hand to head home from close range. Godalming then had a good spell and Lidbury made two good saves to deny Smith. 'Leafe created few chances in the first half, the best falling to Lee Stripp in the final minute of the half who saw his 30 yard effort pushed onto the post by Baker.
'Leafe dominated the second half and were soon on the attack. Chris O'Flaherty made a great run into the Godalming box in the 47th minute, laying off to Batchelor who saw his shot hit the underside of the bar, bounce down on the line and away to safety.
The Whyteleafe pressure paid off with a deserved equaliser on the hour. O'Flaherty's corner found Alec Brown, and his header was deflected onto the bar and out to Fleming whose header beat Baker and found the back of the net. Ten minutes later Bentley Graham headed just wide from an O'Flaherty free kick and then in the 80th minute, 'Leafe hit the woodwork again when O'Flaherty found Batchelor on the edge of the box. His shot hit the post, bounced out and hit Baker and went off for a corner.
'Leafe went all out for a winner in the final stages of the game. Graham and Thomas both saw shots go across the face of goal and miss the target, and Batchelor went close in the 87th minute. The winner came in the 89th minute when O'Flaherty's cross found Thomas in the box and he shot home from close range to gain a very important victory.
Whyteleafe: Lidbury, Aldous, Gunner, Fleming, Brown, Stripp, Ogunseye, Batchelor, Thomas, Butler (Graham 45), O'Flaherty.