Whyteleafe treble joy in Canterbury City (From Richmond and Twickenham Times)

Leafe keep the pressure on the leaders

8:27pm Sunday 17th March 2013 in Football

By Chris Layton

Whyteleafe took advantage of being the only game in the Kent League Premier Division to survive the weather by taking all three points at Canterbury City thanks to a 3-1 win.

The visitors started the game in positive mood and tested the Canterbury defence early on but the City side had been enjoying a positive spell having won their last three matches and were certainly no pushover. 

The first attempt on goal came from Danny Day whose shot went just wide of the upright on 10 minutes. 

Leafe captain, Ryan Maxwell was dominating the midfield and feeding balls to the lethal forward partnership of Rosco DSane and Paul Scott while Omar Folkes and Day were full of running and creating chances themselves from the flanks.

The opening goal came on 26 minutes when a perfectly flighted free kick from Maxwell was met by Scott who found himself between the Canterbury defenders and their keeper and headed the ball unchallenged into the net. 

The lead was to only to last four minutes as Glen Johnson capitalised on some hesitant Leafe defending and prodded the ball passed Dave Wilkinson to make it 1-1.

This spurred Whyteleafe into a dominant attacking spell but shots from DSane, Day and Ferdinando all failed to bother Kieron Mann in the home side’s goal.

Just as the first half was fizzling out, a defence splitting killer pass from the midfield found DSane in space. He outpaced the home defence and made no mistake shooting past Mann for Leafe to take a 2-1 lead into the half time break.

Whyteleafe should have extended the lead just a minute into the second half.

Again, Dsane was clear and racing into the box only to be tripped over. It was a clear penalty and the defender really should have seen a red card for up-ending a player with just the keeper to beat. 

To the travelling spectators’ dismay and very audible annoyance the referee awarded neither and instead gave a free-kick outside of the box. 

The free-kick came to nothing as the Canterbury City wall served its purpose blocking three efforts on goal. 

After this Whyteleafe took their foot off the pedal and retreated into deep positions defending their single goal advantage. 

It was frustrating to watch as Leafe were doubtless the superior team but they sat back and struggled to gain for possession and any notable periods.

While City took the game to Whyteleafe the chances they created were relatively few and Wilkinson and the defenders dealt with everything comfortably enough.

It was certainly against the run of play when the Leafe third goal came along.  A well worked build up move culminated in a fine goal bound shot from Day.

Having had two goals disallowed at Sevenoaks in the previous week Day deserved to see his name on the scoresheet but in the end the goal was credited to Canterbury defender Chris Elliott whose attempted block just rebounded the ball into the net inches from the line.

Scott had a gilt edged chance to make it 4-1 just two minutes later.

A brilliant run into the box on 77 minutes saw him race past three defenders and with the goal at his mercy he put the ball wide. 

Canterbury continued to work hard for the remainder of the game on the energy sapping pitch but Whyteleafe soaked up everything and took the three points that once again see them within two of second-placed VCD Athletic and seven clear of fourth placed Erith Town.

Whyteleafe host Deal Town on Saturday at Church Road, kick off 3pm.