FA Trophy first qualifying round: Leatherhead 1 Rothwell 1

It is the mark of a good side who can grind out results when not playing to their peak and Leatherhead certainly did that against a Rothwell team who created pressure but were not incisive enough in front of goal.

Leatherhead finally put their run of poor results in the FA Carlsberg Trophy behind them The home side were without two influential players in Iain Hendry (unavailable) and Stewart Homes (injured).

The squad is much stronger this season and their replacements - Dean Carpenter and Scott Bennetts are worthy of starting places in their own right.

Marc Charles-Smith started where he left off against Mangotsfield by marauding down the right flank and pulling the ball back into the area where Jamie Beer hit his shot high into the Bernard Edwards stand.

The visitors soon hit back but, in the Tanners goal, Paul Borg was up to anything they could throw at him with some accomplished blocks.

The situation between him and the now fit Chris Gibson will be an interesting one to watch over coming weeks.

Although Rothwell were creating chances at one end and were probably shading the game in the opening exchanges, Charles-Smith was causing his usual havoc and forced Tom Smith to equal Borg with a fine block when the home striker was clean through after galloping clearly 50 yards.

Despite a stilted first half performance, there were many bright spots for the home fans to savour.

Both incomes, Dean Carpenter and Scoptt Bennetts were staking their claims for starting spots in a strong squad.

Bennetts, in particular was giving his usual 110 per cent performance down the flanks and pressuring a defence that were constantly being pressured.

Of the two keepers, paul Borg was the more active with a tip on to the bar and a resulting corner but with the ball pumped high down the middle to a lanky Justin Jenkins, the back three, and in particular the excellent Lynval Duncan, were able to soak up the pressure.

The Tanners were improving as the half progressed but it was not until injury time that they took the lead.

A Steve Sargent corner was headed back from the far post into a crowded area.

As he has done on a number of occasions, Scott Bennetts had powered into the area and gleefully thumped the ball home from close in. It was fitting reward for all of his industry.

At the whistle, the Rothwell manager, Dave Williams, was banished to the stands after an over zealous protest about the length of time allocated to stoppages.

With Adam Gray being replaced by the experienced Mark Harper at the break, Leatherhead were more than equipped to deal with any aerial threat that the visitors could throw at them.

Skipper Dave Stevens was replaced with the pacy Julian Thompson to give fresh legs to an attack that will need to be able to cope with a further two games in the next seven days.

Rothwell were throwing players forward in an increasingly desperate attempt to claw their way back into the game and when the referee gave a hotly disputed penalty when Jamie Beer clearly won the ball, it seemed that they were to be rewarded for their endeavours. Chris Defante, their number nine had other ideas as his scuffed attempt scuttled wide of the post to safety.

It was a just result for the decision but, on the balance of play was no more than Rothwell deserved.

With the clock running down and the referee giving a generous amount of injury time, the Tanners cleverly played the clock down and were rewarded by a place in the hat for FA Trophy draw this week.

This was not a vintage Tanners performance but the team were well discilpned and organised. Given that, and their poor record in the Trophy in the last number of seasons, this was a welcome result and continues with a winning streak that stretches back to the opening game of the season and a narrow defeat at the hands of Fleet Town Leatherhead: Borg, Beer, Gray (Harper), Duncan, Carpenter, Doherty, Bolger, Sargent, Charles-Smith, Bennetts Stevens (Thompson)