Leatherhead had to come from behind to beat Three Bridges 3-1 at Jubilee Field and stay in touch with the play-off places in Ryman League Division One South.

Goals from Mark Simmons, Tom Bradbrook and Sam Blackman sealed the points for the visitors, while their struggling hosts slipped to their sixth consecutive League defeat.

With talismanic striker Tommy Hutchings beginning a three-match suspension, Tanners manager Richard Brady introduced Matt Smart to the line up and the former Met Police and Eastbourne Borough player quickly settled into his new role on the left side of midfield.

Following a flat opening period, marked with a series of long balls and misplaced passes from both teams, the match sprang into life after 14 minutes with Leatherhead’s Vernon Francis finding Kev Terry in space 30 yards from goal - Terry took two touches before launching a thunderous shot which cannoned off the bar.

Three Bridges responded with their best attacking spell of the match. Dean Carden’s 18-yard shot was well saved by Louis Wells, and Marcus Elliott’s effort went wide before Abu Touray headed another good chance straight at the Leatherhead keeper.

Tanners reacted positively with Bradbrook breaking clear of his marker down the left, his cross was met in the box by Terry, whose flying header went narrowly wide.

With Leatherhead looking more comfortable and composed in possession, the match was turned on its head after 35 minutes as the hosts took the lead against the run of play.

A speculative long ball into the box from O’Hara flew over Wells’s head, struck the underside of the crossbar before falling kindly for Williams Peauroux to head home from close range.

Tanners drew level within two minutes after winning a free kick on the edge of the hosts’ penalty area - Simmons struck the ball perfectly, curling it over the wall and in at the far post.

The hosts then missed two clear chances to restore their lead after 63 minutes with Wells blocking a good effort from Touray before making a superb point blank save from Elliott’s follow up.

Those missed opportunities were to prove costly as Tanners took the lead on 73 minutes - Smart floated in a delightful free kick for Bradbrook to head home unchallenged from the middle of the box.

Substitute Blackman wrapped up the points for Leatherhead two minutes later with a brilliant 20-yard strike which flew into the net without troubling Three Bridges keeper Alan Mansfield.

The result keeps Tanners in ninth place, and they travel to Epsom & Ewell in the Surrey Senior Cup tomorrow (Tuesday).