Southern Counties East League
Rochester United 1 Whyteleafe 3
IN ONLY their second match of 2014, Whyteleafe kept up their promotion push in some rare winter sunshine, although not as comfortably as the score line may suggest.
The visitors started much the brighter and in the opening minute Roscoe Dsane burst into the penalty area and hit the ball past advancing keeper Joe Hagan, only to see a goal-line clearance by full-back Harrison Grant.
On 10 minutes midfield lynchpin Jensen Grant carved an opportunity for Leafe captain Jason Thompson to hit a fierce strike narrowly over the crossbar.
Two minutes later Dsane fed the ball out to pacey young winger Taylor Smith who delivered a low cross met by Sam Clayton who jinxed past two defenders before slotting the ball home for 1-0.
Smith then shot from distance himself with Hagan tipping the ball around his post for a corner. After two goalmouth scrambles Thompson delivered a high cross from the left, headed home by Dsane on 15 minutes to double the lead.
The hosts rallied with Pat Bishenden and Nathan Taylor both seeing shots saved by Leafe keeper Sheikh Ceesay, however Leafe still looked most likely to score again with the lively Clayton and Dsane causing regular alarm in the Rochester defence.
Just before the break the forward duo broke through the defensive lines again, but rather than strike the ball home, Dsane inadvertently passed to an offside Clayton, denying a surely unassailable three goal lead at half-time.
The second half began like the first with Leafe further testing Hagan in the United goal, firstly a Smith cross met by a Clayton volley and then another trademark scorcher from 30 yards by Thompson, tipped brilliantly over the bar. Dsane also shot inches wide on 56 minutes.
Just approaching the hour mark the game turned when Leafe stopper Ceesay unfortunately failed to deal with a cross and Taylor tapped home to reduce the deficit.
Rochester pressed further; however they were reduced to ten men when Harrison Grant committed a high and late tackle on Jensen Grant, receiving a straight red card. Unfortunately his namesake was not able to carry on playing, limping off battered and bruised, immediately replaced by Robbie Kember.
In a more even second-half the hosts rallied again and the impressive substitute Kevin Penfold, increasingly influential in midfield, threaded an excellent pass through to Pete Sayer who fired narrowly over.
With nerves jangling amongst the travelling Leafe faithful Sam Clayton blasted just over the bar on 90 minutes and Thompson saw another 30 yard screamer tipped over the bar once more by Hagan who had enjoyed an outstanding afternoon between the sticks.
In the third minute of stoppage time the result was put beyond doubt when a patient build-up between veteran substitutes Kember and Williams allowed Thompson to stroke the ball home for a 3-1 victory.
Leafe: Ceesay, Taylor, Tommy Smith, Penfold, Abraham, Merchant, R Fowler, Grant (R Kember 70), Dsane (Williams 83), Clayton, Taylor Smith (Pitterson 62) Sub not used: Pratt
Next games: Tuesday 25/02/2014 v Erith Town (Home), Saturday 01/03/2014 v Lordswood (Home)
