Magpies Soar Higher Than Ever

So often when a game is billed as the match of the day, it fails to live up to expectations. Nobody could say that here as both teams were committed to a win, in a contest that offered literally everything.

On what was already a saturated and heavy pitch, the two teams were met by monsoon rain, accompanied by flashes of lightening.

This was an omen for the game to follow that contained plenty of passion and yet considerable guile, especially from the home team.

Manager Shaun Saunders started with Tom Lawley and Lloyd Cotton in midfield with Hughes and Crellin dropping to the bench.

Despite the conditions, Haven were determined to impose themselves on their opponents, playing their usual game of crisp passes along the ground.

5 minutes had passed when Charlie Walker slipped a ball through to Tom Burton in the box, who calmly shot beyond the diving Ibrahim in the Leatherhead goal.

Walker looked to have doubled the lead soon after with a thunderous shot that was tipped over for a corner.

Both Josh Jones and Burton then had excellent efforts saved by the busy Ibrahim.

On the half hour, the non-stop running of Walker paid dividends as he split the defence to score for 2-0.

As the teams turned around for half time, parts of the pitch resembled the Somme.

Now with the weather at their backs, Peacehaven controlled the play better than Leatherhead. They continued to press with Jon Marzetti going close and then Craig Richards thumping the post.

Visiting striker Leroy Griffiths saw red on 73 minutes, after 2 bookings. That was after the home crowd took delight in reminding the referee that he had cautioned the player earlier.

Minutes later, not for the first time in the afternoon, Walker was frustrated as his shot beat the keeper only to get stuck in the mud, to the delight of the travelling support.

They were soon silenced as a shot from the impressive Lawley hit the bar and was eventually cleared for a corner. From the in-swinging cross Richards forced the ball across the line on 85 minutes to secure a 3-0 victory.

Just before the final whistle Lawley was brought down heavily in the box, but the penalty appeal was waved away.