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There was little good about this Good Friday fixture for the hosts Whyteleafe, other than a bumper crowd and glorious spring sunshine, as high-flying Leatherhead brushed them aside with a devastating first half performance.
Leafe manager Nicky English was forced by recent departures and injuries to put out a very youthful team once again whilst the Tanners, looking to cement a home advantage in the end of season play-offs, were at full strength.
In the opening minute prolific forward Tommy Hutchins hit a stunning strike from the edge of the area past the despairing Mike Lidbury who was to endure a tough afternoon between the posts. It was one-way traffic as the away side pressed again and on 9 minutes a slip by Leafe right-back Sam Akokhia allowed Glen Andrews to run on goal and slot home comfortably.
The home side's misery continued as on 16 minutes Mu Mann produced a powerful run down the right wing, his perfect cross met by Hutchins who fired his second goal of the afternoon. Next Liam Pestle twice hit shots from inside the Leafe penalty area, the second blocked bravely by Dan Aldous and on 20 minutes Hutchins was denied a hat-trick by a fine Lidbury save.
The first Whyteleafe chance came on the half hour when Kwabena Agyei shot narrowly wide of keeper Rob O'Hara's goal, the popular giant stopper making a welcome return to Church Road.
The fourth goal came on 33 minutes when Andrews bundled the ball over the line in a crowded box from a corner. Shortly after Leafe captain Fred Fleming made a rash and late tackle on Mann sparking significant unrest amongst the two teams and was perhaps fortunate to escape with only a yellow card, reflecting a solid and sensible performance from referee Mr Hopton.
Just before the break young Leafe forward Ryan Thomas turned and hit a fine volley inches over the bar, but the game was all but over by now.
The visitors started the second half as they finished the first, Jack MacLeod forcing a fine save from Lidbury on 49 minutes, pushing his shot round the post and shortly after the keeper did well to hold a fine Hutchins free-kick when under pressure in a crowded area.
Sol Paterson-Bonner, another former Leafe player, came on for the visitors and created opportunities from the right wing. An excellent 64th minute cross was met by another hat-trick seeker Andrews, his volley just the wrong side of the upright. A minute later Lidbury failed to hold on to the ball in a congested box and Captain Chris Boulter struck the fifth goal.
More misery befell the home stopper as Patterson-Bonner punished another unfortunate fumble with the sixth.
Second-half substitute Stephane Gnamore lifted the hosts' spirits and fortunes, firstly scrambling home a consolation goal on 80 minutes and seemingly also getting the last touch in a goalmouth melee from an 83rd minute corner for a second strike.
Deep into stoppage time striker Fabien Batchelor's hard work and persistence was almost rewarded when a fine header was pushed onto the post by Rob O'Hara and scrambled away.
Leatherhead look set to host a play-off semi-final whilst Whyteleafe still have a small risk of relegation should Kent side Chatham Town win their last two games and Leafe take no points from theirs. A disappointing end to the campaign in a familiarly topsy-turvy season at Church Road.
Whyteleafe: Lidbury, Aldous, Akokhia (Webster 46), Fleming, Laud-Anderson, B Graham, Agyei, Thomas, Batchelor, Robson (Gnamore 60), Snaddon Sub not used: Banton