SOUTHALL AGONISINGLY CLOSE TO PLACE IN ISTHMIAN LEAGUE PROMOTION PLAY-OFF FINAL
Southall FC’s splendid second season in the Isthmian League South Central Division ended in a disappointing manner at Leatherhead FC’s Fetcham Grove on Wednesday, 1st May, where they played the home side for a place in the Step 3 promotion play-off final.
They had qualified for a place in the semi-finals by ending the season in 4th place in the league table. Their hosts, Leatherhead had earned home advantage by finishing in 3rd place.
Your Roving team were present to witness the All’s courageous but ultimately unsuccessful bid for promotion. Although they didn’t achieve this, they should be extremely pleased with their season and proud of their performance on the night.
There were few clear-cut chances during the goalless first half of a very competitive match, with Southall’s defence looking solid. The ‘All took the lead early in the second half but the Tanners equalised on the hour. The teams remained deadlocked throughout the remainder of the 90 minutes and during the 30 minutes of extra time. As a result, we progressed to an excruciating penalty shoot-out, with the outcome of the tie being settled by the tenth and last kick.
Leatherhead soon took the initiative and Ibrahim Olutade broke through to force Southall keeper, Kojusoluwa Abayomi to save with his feet.
The Tanners had the better of the few chances during the first half but Jaden Thompson-Brissett (Biscuit) looked dangerous on the break.
Leatherhead’s Tyler Cox shot wide after a good run. Koju was hurt saving at Ibrahim Olutade’s feet.
Olutade headed a cross from the right over the Southall crossbar. Biscuit made a run down the left and cut in but his low cross was blocked.
Brendan Matthew’s header was saved by keeper Amadou Tangara.
Trevan Robinson’s shot from the edge of the box brought a diving save from Koju.
Score at halftime: Leatherhead 0 Southall 0
Southall took the lead after 47 minutes through Biscuit, who sped up the left, cut in and netted with a low drive, which took a deflection on its way in.
Amadou Tangara then saved from Brendan Matthew.
Then Ibrahim Olutade shot on the turn but fired just wide. Fabio Saraiva hit a volley straight at Koju and Trey Masikini blazed over the crossbar from close range.
Southall had a good chance to double their lead but Brendan Matthew’s header, from Romey Eccles-Meodad’s cross, was too high.
Tyler Cox scored a spectacular equaliser for Leatherhead in the 61st minute, by taking the ball past 2 defenders and hammering it into the far top corner of the net.
Koju made a good diving save from Fabio Saraiva’s drive.
Both Tyler Cox and Omarr Lawson cleared the Southall crossbar.
A good multi-player Leatherhead movement set up Jamie Splatt, who fired wide.
A timely tackle by Giovanni Palmer ended a threatening run by Leatherhead’s Ghas Sow.
In the 90th minute Koju Abayomi picked up a back pass about 6 yards from his goal-line. The resulting indirect freekick to the Tanners was taken by skipper, Fabio Saraiva, with 15 players stationed on the line between the posts. Southall managed to keep the ball out.
Score after 90 minutes: Leatherhead 1 Southall 1
The respective defences remained firmly in command during the extra time.
In the 110th minute, the home keeper, Amadou Tangara, repeated the mistake of his Southall counterpart and picked up a back pass. He did so just inside his penalty area, giving the Southall attackers slightly more room to manoeuvre. However, they too failed to score.
With a penalty shoot-out imminent, Southall decided to change goalkeepers in the closing minutes of extra time.
Tyler Cox crossed during the 2 minutes added at the end of extra time and substitute Carl Pearce got his head to the ball and deflected it just over his cross bar.
Score at the conclusion of extra time: Leatherhead 1 Southall 1
Leatherhead went first in the penalty shoot-out. Fabio Saraiva hit his shot to Michael Edegbe’s right but Michael made a diving save.
However, Amadou Tangara, diving to his left, saved Alex Nolan’s first kick for Southall.
The second pair, Tyler Cox and Biscuit were both successful.
The third pair, Ghas Sou and Brendan Matthew were also both successful, with Brendan’s shot going in off of the upright.
Omarr Lawson converted Leatherhead’s 4th kick but Southall’s Romey Eccles-Meodad shot over the crossbar. Therefore, Leatherhead led 3-2 after 4 penalties each.
Michael Edegbe then put Southall back in with a chance, by saving Jerry Puemo’s shot low down to his left.
However, with Ryan Hope needing to score to take the shoot-out to the sudden death stage, Amadou Tangara again dived to his left and pushed Ryan’s shot onto the post and out.
Penalty shoot-out score: Leatherhead 3 Southall 2
TEAM LINE-UPS:
Leatherhead: Amadou Tangara, Alpha Diallo (Michael Elechi 102 mins), Fikayo Atewologun, Jamie Splatt, Jerry Puemo, Fabio Saraiva (capt), Trey Masikini (Omarr Lawson 68), Ghas Sow, Ibrahim Olutade, Trevan Robinson (Daniel Hector 46) and Tyler Cox.
Unused substitutes: Luther Williams and Harvey Keogh.
Manager: Hayden Bird
Coach: Elliot Minto.
Southall: Kojusoluwa Abayomi (Michael Edegbe 120), Alex Nolan, Azeez Alabi (capt), Ryan Hope, Romey Eccles-Meodad, Joshua Green, Jaden Thompson-Brissett, William Montague (Lucias Vine 111) , Anthony O’Connor (Carl Pearce 120), Brendan Matthew and Giovanni Palmer.
Unused substitutes: Adam Laaref and Darreon Mark.
Manager: Max Howell
Coaches: Jesse Smith and Darron Williamson
GK Coach: Josh Stroud
Assistant Coach: Harry Howell
Physios: Bren Briggs and Don Bennett.
Referee: Lawrence Torz-Brown
Assistant Referees: Oliver Westgate and John-Patrick Kane.
4th Official: Callum Peter
Attendance: 1053
The other play-off semi-final, played simultaneously, also went to extra time and ended Marlow 3 Westfield 2.
The final was played Sunday, 5th May and finished Marlow 3 Leatherhead 1.
Report: Jim Taylor
Photography: Chris Benn
COMBINED COUNTIES LEAGUE PLAY-OFFS
Bedfont Sports and Rayners Lane both enjoyed successful seasons and won their respective Combined Counties League Premier Division North Play-off semi-finals on Saturday last. Bedfont Sports beat Reading City 5-2 at home, with Makael Scott scoring a hattrick and Jared Myers getting 2 goals. Rayners Lane overcame Holyport 4-0, through 2 goals each from Frank Keita and Elliott Buchanan.
They played each other in the final at Rayners Lane on Tuesday 7th May and Rayners Lane won promotion to Step 4, via a penalty shoot-out, after a 1-1 draw in 90 minutes. Troy Perez-Duah had put Rayners Lane ahead in the 67th minute and Aston Greaver had equalised for Bedfont Sports, in the last minute of added time.
Our congratulations to Rayners Lane and condolences to Bedfont Sports.