Tuesday 8th April 1997
Banstead Athletic 0 Leighton Town 0
ICIS Isthmian League Division Two
At: Merland Rise
Kick-off: 7-45 pm
Admission: £4; Programme: 60p (36 pages)
Attendance: 40 (headcount)
Weather: cold, dry
Banstead (14th with 46 points from 31 games) hosted Leighton Town (7th with 59 points from 37 games) in what their seventh game in 16 days. The home side played the better football though their goalkeeper Scott Tarr produced the ‘Champagne moment’ of the game. He produced a brilliant save in the 33rd minute to deny Paul Frith a goal. The Leighton player, who incidentally arrived late and didn’t take the field until the 7th minute, shook hands with Tarr before the corner was taken.
This return trip to Merland Rise was my first since ‘ticking’ the ground in 1990. Looking at the pitch from the players’ entrance in one corner, there was a stand containing seats over on the far touchline with small areas of covered standing on the near touchline and behind the near goal.
Banstead Athletic (amber/black/black): 1. Scott Tarr, 2. Keith Ward, 3. John Dixon, 4. Michael Stratford, 5. Errol Vassall, 6. Richard Langley, 7. Richard Vercesi, 8. Robin Welch, 9. Simon Liddle, 10. Kelvin Thomas, 11. Matt York. Subs: 12. Simon Ray (not used), 14. Geoff Foreman (for Langley, 13), 15. Steve Latuske (not used).
Leighton Town (red and white stripes / white / red): 1. James Heeps, 2. Craig McIntosh, 3. James Lasbrey, 4. Paul Firth, 5. Lee Henry, 6. Mark Andrews, 7. Nicky Sweetman, 8. Marc Barnard, 9. Bradley Anderson, 10. Gavin Jaggard, 11. Craig Kench. Subs: 12. Craig Johnstone (for Jaggard, 68), 14. Darren Gibb (not used), 15. Sean Downey (not used).
Referee: S. Tomlin (Lewes).
Goals: none
Cards: none
