fixtures and results  |  home page

CROYDON ATHLETIC 0 - 1 WHYTELEAFE
Saturday 19 November 2011
Ryman League Division 1 South

MATCH PHOTOS

Whyteleafe ended a run of draws with victory against local rivals Croydon Athletic and in doing so, jumped above their neighbours in the league table.

The game didn't really get going in the first half and lacked some of the passion usually seen in local derbies. The visitors had a chance as early as the second minute when Scott Simpson's overhead kick from an Ashley Henry-Brown cross went wide.

The hosts had two good chances in the 11th and 13th minute, but unfortunately for them they fell to George Landais who did not have his shooting boots on. His first shot was blocked by Fred Fleming and the second, when he was clean through, saw Paul Smith come out to block from point blank range.

'Leafe were making most of the play but were often caught by the Rams' offside trap. Simpson however timed his run well in the 29th minute to beat the trap. His first shot was parried by Charlie Mann and the rebound was deflected over the bar by a defender. Three minutes later Mann saved from Jerson Dos Santos following a long pass from Alec Brown.

Whyteleafe ought to have taken the lead right on half time when following the best move of the match, Simpson making a good run before passing to Dos Santos, who laid it off for Karl Douglin who shot just over the bar.

The first chance of the second half fell to the visitors when Kwabena Agyei headed wide from a Fabian Batchelor cross. but Croydon then had a good chance in the 56th minute when Billy Marshall found Landais but again he missed the target from close range.

The match was decided after 67 minutes when Charlie Mann failed to hold a 20 yard shot from Douglin and Simpson was the first to react and tap in from close range.

Three minutes later Connor French thought he had equalised when he headed into the net but it was from an offside position and disallowed. They had one more chance to level in the 87th minute when Smith saved from Elliott Jones, but 'Leafe who held on for the valuable three points.

Whyteleafe: Smith, Brown, Henry-Brown, Fleming, Dudley, Mitchell, Batchelor, Douglin, Simpson, Dos Santos (Gnamore 82), Agyei (Garrick 54). Subs not used , Halili, Williams, Borrett.