Fledglings overcome Wootton with last gasp goal

Leighton Buzzard Fledglings 3 - 2 Wootton Wanderers

After last week’s defeat against league leaders Staines, Leighton knew they were in for another tough game against second placed Wootton. So it was to the team’s great credit that they had their best performance of the season.

Things started well for the Fledglings when in the opening minute Joshua Farnfield found Kane Sanders in the “D”, his turn and drag towards the Wootton goal was enough to leave the keeper wrong-footed as the ball hit the post and crossed the line. Leighton saw their chance and pressed the opposition. They were positive throughout and great defending from Stewart Angell, David Thompson and Jordan Field kept Wootton away from the home side’s goal. With Nicky Marshall controlling distribution, the Fledglings broke quickly and attacked at pace.

A Wootton foot deflected the ball inside their twenty-three but great umpiring allowed the advantage to ensue as Tom Handley drove forward and passed to Peter Gale in the “D”. Gale calmly turned and, with pin point accuracy, flicked the ball into the bottom right corner of the goal, to make it 2-0.

Great reaction saves by goal keeper David Jackson helped maintain the Fledglings advantage and then early pressure in the second half saw the Fledglings go close from Farnfield’s short corner strike.

However Wootton are a quality side and mid-way through the half pulled a goal back with a well taken short corner. Coming into the last ten Wootton equalised from open play and then started looking for the winner.

Knowing that they could still achieve an improbable win the Fledglings gave everything. A change in tactics saw Kane Sanders pushed up front. The movement and flowing play from the midfield of Tom Billington, Farnfield and Handley was exceptional, linking up with forward Joshua Gale Leighton took the game to Wootton. A cross from the right hand side was met by Jacob Townson whose slapped shot agonisingly grazed the post and went just wide. With two minutes to go Farnfield found Joshua Gale on the right of the “D”. His hit shot went in the perfect position, across the goal keeper and into the far left of the goal, sealing the win for the Fledglings and a player of the match performance for Gale. Though today the whole team were exceptional and any and every player could have been player of the match. After last week’s defeat this was a brilliant response from the Fledglings, who hope to build on this in the remainder of the season.

Final score: 3 - 2 (Fledglings win, Wootton lose)
Player of the match: Joshua Gale