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Report: Whyteleafe 2-0 Haywards Heath Town
Whyteleafe took all 3 points with a good win and with all of their rivals not playing due to waterlogged pitches climb to 4th place in the table, strengthening their ambition to reach the play offs at the end of the season.
Leafe got off to the perfect start, Ronald Sobowale took a 25 yard free kick. Luke Glover did well to get his fingertips to it tipping it onto the bar, but Freddie Parker was on hand to score from close range. Haywards Heath had chances to equalise. Byron Napper hit a 20 yard shot after 13 minutes just over the bar.
Kieran Rowe should have equalised in the 25th minute, heading wide with the goal at his mercy. Matt O'Donoghue denied the same player 10 minutes later blocking his close range shot after Tyler McCarthy had saved from Ryan Warwick. Leafe's injury problems were made worse when captain Nathan Campbell had to be helped off the pitch with an injury in the 37th minute.
On the stroke of half time Glover saved a shot from Antonio Walker-Barth following a Bentley Graham corner. Tyler McCarthy kept Leafe's lead in tact with a series of good saves as the visitors enjoyed a lot of second half possession. A superb save denied Callum Saunders from a well struck 53rd minute free kick. 2 minutes later Saunders was in the book for diving, trying to claim a penalty.
Leafe extended their lead in the 72nd minute, Parkers cross was volleyed into his own net by Byron Napper under pressure from Sobowale. Parker should have made it 3 when clear in the 77th minute but delayed his shot long enough to allow Thomas Summerfield to get back and make a great saving tackle.
The visitors stepped up the pace and pushed forward in an attempt to get back into the game but they found McCarthy in top form. Trevor McCreadies' 78th minute shot from the edge of the box was just over the bar and 4 minutes later hit a volley the McCarthy made an excellent save to tip the ball over the bar.
McCarthy made another fine save from Tahjae Anderson's 25 yard free kick. Haywards Heath's efforts were in vain as they fell to their first league defeat since 5th October.
Whyteleafe Team: McCarthy, O'Donoghue, Duru, Antonio (Thompson 54), McGeoghegan, Campbell (Holder 37), Andrews, Graham, Parker, Walker-Barth (Zahui 76), Sobowale. subs not used Saunders-Henry, Adebayo.
