Horsham YMCA 0 Leatherhead 2

With Ian Hazel releasing three players in the midweek - two of them being defenders who had started for the side - Leatherhead certainly had the look of a team in a rebuilding phase.

In contrast Horsham YMCA have the taint of a club who are waiting for the drop but do not have the ammunition to avoid it.

The Tanners started yet another new signing, Steven MacNamara at left full back to replace the departed Ben Shannon and Adam Bernard in the midfield in place of Scott Bennetts who has found a new home at Metropolitan Police.

The first half was all Leatherhead. Despite playing with a low, bright sun that caused problems for both sides as the game went on, the visitors from Mole Valley, largely, kept YMCA pegged back in their own half and relying on breaks that were few and far between.

Despite some good possession from the midfield, service to the front pairing of Dave Stevens and Carl Gibbs was sparce.

Against a very limited home team, there should have been more opportunities for the Leatherhead front pair but they were not to come.

Stewart Holmes did get the ball into the back of Horsham's net but an offside flag was raised by a set of officials who did little to raise the standard of the game.

It did seem that the first half was going to go the way of many Tanners matches this season with much pressure but no end result when the front two combined to let Gibbs loose in the area with a good scoring chance.

Some fine passing down the left wing saw the ball fed to Dave Stevens who squared the ball to Carl Gibbs. His low shot fizzed past Chris Winterton to give Leatherhead a deserved - and much needed lead.

Horsham did have their chances. With the Tanners defence still coming to terms with its revised shape, YMCA's Greg Palmer lobbed toward goal, only for Aaron France to tip over the bar.

Earlier, the Tanners keeper had blocked well with his feet when one on one with a YMCA forward.

The second half was dire. Neither side seemed able to put fluent moves together with Leatherhead seemingly protecting a narrow lead by sitting deep.

This gave the home side encouragement to push forward and for long spells in the half, they shaded the play.

There are a number of Leatherhead players who are not firing on all cylinders and, with safety almost assured, the Tanners management will be looking for improved performances or a reduction in the wage bill.

Hazel has stated that there are a number of youth team players that deserve a chance - this evidenced by the form of Matt Jones, who earned a starting place and Tommy Hutchinson who has only recently joined the Tanners under 18s who was a substitute - although not called upon.

With just under 30 minutes to play, the tiring Carl Gibbs was replaced by Billy Marshall.

The young forward has impressed in fits and starts during the course of the season but has yet to show the progress to guarantee a starting place.

His direct running at defences does pay dividends as the closing stages of the match were due to prove.

Horsham had looked a little more impressive in the second period and France, again, was called to block well with his feet when substitute Adam Jupp found space in front of goal.

It was Marshall who was due to have the decisive say. A deep cross from the left was dropped by Winterton beyond the far post.

Marshall, undoubtedly showing his pedigree, volleyed home from an impossible angle and the Tanners - at long last - had a comfortable cushion to seal the points.

With injury time ticking away, they could have extended the lead even further when Stevens collected the ball wide on the right and unleashed a shot that Winterton did well to palm away.

This was dire game but one that was crucial for the Tanners to win - that they did and three very vital points were added to their total and, more importantly, time has been bought to rebuild and undo the uncertainty that has dogged them this season.

Leatherhead: France, Hudson (Duncan), MacNamara, Jones, Hendry, Palmer, Holmes, Bernard, Gibbs (Marshall), Martin (Conroy), Stevens