Seventh heaven for Mens 2s

Knowing a win was essential and playing a team that had provided a physical challenge earlier in the season Leighton did not lack for motivation. The first 20 minutes were scrappy with both keepers making good saves and the Leighton centre backs Will Riley and Liam Wavish coping well with pressure after Tom Handley was harshly green carded. Crucially Martin Bailey broke the deadlock after 20 minutes of very open play and Damian Glendenning gave Leighton a cushion from a well worked short corner. Leighton were now giving the visitors a lot of problems with Finley Bell-Taylor's pace and Matthew Nash's guile up front, and the visitors were lucky to only receive one green card for subjecting both umpires to constant questioning and occasional abuse. Either side of half time Bell-Taylor made the game more comfortable with two breakaway goals, cutting in from the left and backing himself to score from the angle after good support play from wing backs 'Irish' Tom O'Reilly and Fraser Retford. With Ramgharia pushing forward Leighton lost their shape a bit, and were again briefly down to 10 with Retford carded, but they stayed strong in the middle with Clive Warncken and man of the match Tim Bellamy breaking up numerous attacks. Despite the pressure Leighton hit back twice on the break, firstly through David Jackson finding the goal and then Steve Fuller finishing off a sweeping team move. Sadly for Jim Galloway's stats in goal, after a number of short corners were well saved Ramgharia were finally able to force one in. Up the other end Leighton immediately responded however with Bell-Taylor picking up his third goal, assisted by a goalkeeping error. Leighton were unable to add any more in a frantic last ten minutes, however as a result of another strong performance remain just two points behind the leaders and now with a better goal difference.