Chipstead 2 Leatherhead 1

One of the defining - and worrying - features of the Tanners' season to date has been the tendency to dominate games but give away the advantage through schoolboy errors - and so it was against the Ryman League newcomers on Saturday.

Chipstead had already taken the three points at Fetcham Grove and Ian Hazel and his team were anxious not to repeat the experience.

The first half started well for the Tanners, although with some controversy.

An Adam Bernard effort was judged to be offside when most of the others in attendance saw the disputed goal very differently.

The Tanners were without skipper Iain Hendry and Andy Martin (suspended).

Gareth Graham started in the green shirt for the first time since his arrival.

Leatherhead dominated the first half against a highly physical Chipstead side who were given plenty of leeway by the officials.

Bernard was to become a thorn in the home defence's side with his pace down the flanks and Chipstead were restricted to a few breaks - most of which did nothing to trouble Aaron France in the Tanners goal.

It took 28 minutes for the Leatherhead dominance to get its just reward.

Billy Marshall had picked up the ball wide on the right flank and had neatly turned inside.

When the travelling support anticipated the cross, Marshall thought otherwise and, seeing the home keeper stranded on his near post, hit a killer cross shot that fizzed into the corner of the net.

This action seemed to spur the home side into some sort of action and France was called upon the parry smartly a neat shot from Scott Simpson after a good passing move that included the final ball from Aaron Cole-Bolt.

The second half talk must have had some effect on the home side as they effectively spoiled the Leatherhead fluency early in the second half.

Gareth Graham has started to prove his worth as a holding midfielder with his prodigious work rate and the ability to make something from the tightest of situations.

That said, play was, generally, scrappy with neither side able to take the ascendancy.

Ian Hazel's policy of giving youth team players the chance to show what they can do was tested early in the half when striker Dave Stevens tweaked his ham-string and was replaced with new arrival Tommy Hutchinson.

If the youngster was phased by his introduction into senior football, he didn't show it, taking on the big but ponderous home back four at every occasion.

At a time when Chipstead were staring to show signs of ill- discipline, some slack defending allowed forward Lee Sidwell to equalise when left alone in the area.

The Tanners continued to press forward and create chances.

Stewart Holmes's burst through the middle and shot earned just a throw and home keeper Andy Parkinson was called on to bring off a number of smart saves, particularly from Marshall who was able to use his pace to good effect as he took on the two centre backs.

This was a game that the Tanners should have sewn up in the first half but, just as they were resigned to taking home just the point, some poor defending from Steven Macnamara saw him lose the winger who crossed low for Scott Simpson to net with no Tanners defenders within tackling range.

Despite the result, this was not a bad performance from the Mole Valley side but their league position is testament to the fact that Ian Hazel and his management team have more work to do before the Tanners squad is one that can perform up to the ambitions of the club.

Tanners: France, Hudson, Mcnamara, Graham, Duncan, Palmer, Holmes, Bernard (Boosey), Gibbs (Conroy), Marshall, Stevens (Hutchinson).