Injury time penalty earns Leighton a point

Egham Town FC 2-2 Leighton Town FC

Craig Bicknell welcomed back Phil Draycott and Dave Murphy into the starting line up today with Alvin Rajaram and Ash Farmer both unavailable to play. 

Leighton kicked off the first half but it was soon clear that Egham were the much more physical side. The first corner of the game fell to Egham in the 5th minute, but there was no need to panic as it went straight out for a goal kick.

Halluna Mesembe put Egham into the lead in the 11th minute. He walked all over Mark Bunker, producing a low and powerful shot, that caught Zaki Oualah off balance and went straight into the back of the net. 

Billy Lobjoit had a go at goal for Leighton three minutes later but the ball bobbled between the Egham defenders allowing Jamie Norris to gather the ball easily. 

Josh Ansdrew could have made it two for Egham, when he bowled over Leighton's defence, but his shot found the post. Leighton had their first corner of the game 20 minutes in. Mitchel Gutteridge cleared it easily with his head but only as far as Murphy who played the ball back in but Danny Watson was offside.

Watson had a shot in the 31st minute but it was well blocked by Yinka Salami. Michael Lyon clattered into Norris in the 35th minute. Norris landed awkwardly and played was stopped so he could receive treatment. 

A great shot by Draycott saw Norris have to plam the ball away and moments later Watson came close but Salami headed it into Norris's hands to stop him from scoring. 

Lobjoit was shown a yellow card in the 40th minute for kicking the ball away after a free kick had been awarded. Lyon also received a yellow card just two minutes later just after Aaron Morgan had been involved in a colliding tackle with both Troy Furgerson and Wilson Gondwe. 

Egham kicked off the second half Bunker took his chance at goal but Norris managed to catch the ball with a bit of a fumble. 49 minute on the clock and Egham managed to get their second goal of the game.

Danny Bassett went one on one with Bunker and won, slipping the ball easily into the corner of the net. It could have been 3-0 as Ansdrew managed to work round Robbie Goodman, he then played the ball to Brendan Matthew who skied it over the bar.

Leighton made their first substitution in the 54th minute bringing off Tyrone Taylor for Christian Lester. A fantastic shot by Morgan in the 57th minute curled too far and just missed the post. 

A second substitution for Leighton saw Lyon replaced with Anthony Ottaway in the 59th minute. Leighton had a corner in the 65th minute. Draycott played the ball into the box to find the head of Lester but he headed it over the bar.

A succession of injuries for Egham saw them make their first substitution of the game in the 70th minute. Finally in the 77th minute Leighton managed to pull a goal back.

Gary Ridgway played the ball through to Lobjoit, who managed to curl the ball straight into the corner of the net, a shot that Norris had no chance of saving. An 80th minute corner from Ansdrew saw Oualah punch the ball away and clear off the box to stop Egham extending their lead.

Oualah continued to deny Egham of a third goal, he saved Ansdrew's one on one strike and then Bunker cleared the ball off the line in the 86th minute. Handbags were at dawn in the 88th minute. Matthew squared up to Oualah and once things had settled down the referee showed yellow cards to both Matthew and Ansdrew.

Five minutes into injury time and Ridgway challenged the keeper in the air, with Norris beating Ridgway and sending him to the floor, the referee blew his whistle and pointed to the penalty spot.

Leighton had been thrown a lifeline. Watson stepped up to the spot, keeping calm under the pressure he slotted the ball home, to end the game in a 2-2 draw.

Leighton's next game and last game of the season is away to AFC Hayes on Saturday 25th April, kick off 3pm.

Egham Town FC

Team- Norris, Williamson, Gutteridge, Gondwe, Salami, Neville, Ansdrew, Furgerson, Bassett, Matthew, Mesembe

Subs- Carter, Cunningham, Brewster, Castello, Goulter

Leighton Town FC

Team- Oualah, Bunker, Ridgway, Goodman, Murphy, Taylor, Morgan, Lyon, Lobjoit, Watson, Draycott

Subs- Irving, Fitzjohn, Ottaway, Lester

Attendance- 69

By Hannah Sellman 

Rams and Leighton both score late to share the points

Beaconsfield SYCOB 2-2 Leighton Town FC

Going into the game it was clear that Leighton could win all 3 points. They certainly needed them to get a good run for the start of the new year. 

Team morale was high when the referee blew his whistle to get the game underway and Leighton started the game brightly. By putting pressure on Beaconsfield defence Leighton were starting to take the upper hand. 

6 minutes in Mark Bunker did well to get past his opponent and get a good cross in, only for the keeper to attempt to claim it,  however he dropped the ball and with no one to follow it up it was a wasted chance for Leighton. 

Beaconsfield came close to scoring against the run of play in the 10th minute when Aaron Berry curled the ball just past the post. 

Leighton's Billy Lobjoit felt he deserved a penalty in the 22nd minute when he was taken down harshly in the box, but the referee didn't bat an eyelid and play continued. 

The first corner of the game was awarded to Leighton more than half way through the second half but Phil Draycott's kick was easily punched away by Sam Bunting.

Romaine Walker played a good play through to Kofi Lockhart-Adams in the 34th minute, with only Bunker chasing him he managed to keep his cool and slot the ball calmly past Dan Green, putting Beaconsfield 1-0 up.

Leighton made two substitutions at half time brining off Paul and Michael Lyon for Tyrone Taylor and Ash Farmer. 

A goal from the whistle saw Leighton draw level with Beaconsfield. Draycott crossed the ball to find the head of Billy Lobjoit who headed it home.

The 54th minute saw a goal mouth scramble for Leighton with Taylor's shot blocked by the legs of Beaconsfield's defence and the ball bounces off the post to deny Leighton the lead. 

A great push over the bar by Green in the 69th minute stopped Lockhart-Adams from earning his brace of the game and only moments later Green denied Jordan Ajanlekoko of a goal, pushing the ball away for a corner. 

Gary Ridgway was shown a yellow card in the 76th minute. Leighton's final substitution saw an injured Robbie Goodman replaced with Chris Crook. 

Leighton managed to take the lead in the 85th minute when a pinpoint cross from Taylor found Danny Watson and he lobed the ball over the keeper into the net. 

The joy of the goal was short lived however when minutes later Green took down Elliot Carey in the box. Lockhart-Adams stepped up to the penalty spot and played the ball past the fingertips of Green into the net. 

A last ditch attempt to score by Draycott in injury time was stopped by Tom Gant, making it 2-2 at the end of the game.

Leighton's next game is away to Hanwell Town on Saturday 17th January, kick off 3pm.

Leighton Town FC

Team- Green, Bunker, Ridgway, Goodman, Murphy, P. Lyon, Lester, M. Lyon, B. Lobjoit, Watson, Draycott

Subs- Garcia, Crook, Taylor, Farmer, Morgan

Beaconsfield SYCOB

Team- Bunting, Gant, Carby, Ajanlekoko, Murray, Brooks, Walker, Togwell, Berry, Jones, Lockhart-Adams

Subs- Martin, Carey, Patrick, Kelynack, Vincente 

Attendance- 72 

By Hannah Sellman & Hugh Sullivan 

Leighton bring Leiston home

Leiston FC 2-2 Leighton Town FC

Leighton looked thin on the ground with only one main substitute on the bench, but Craig Bicknell managed to field a decent team nevertheless.

Leiston kicked off but were soon dispossessed by Leighton. Danny Watson managed to find his wingman Phil Draycott who took Danny Gay by surprise, when he fired the ball at him, he misjudged the powerful kick and the ball flew into the net, putting Leighton 1-0 with only 40 seconds on the clock.

A timely interception by Scott Mitchell saw Watsons ball to Mark Bunker cleared before any real damage could be done. A brilliant tackle by Alvin Rajaram in the 12th minute was deemed dangerous by the official running the line and was shown a yellow card.

Stuart Broadley took the awarded free kick and Dan Green made a super save. Leighton could have been 2-0 up with only 15 minutes gone but the flag was up for offside as Bunker popped the ball into the net.

A foul on Rajaram saw Leighton win a free kick and Gay had to make a diving save to stop Draycotts' ball from crossing the line, but it wasn't long before a second goal came for Leighton.

A Tyrone Taylor header saw the ball go straight into the back of the net, putting Leighton into a 2-0 lead. Robbie Goodman received a yellow for Leighton in the 27th minute.

29 minutes in and Michael Lyon was given enough space to run wild, he managed to slow down and cross the ball to Watson but his shot was just wide.

Miscommunication between Green and Chris Crook saw a dangerous lob from Tom Winter in the 43rd minute thankfully the ball slid over the bar.

Leighton kicked off the second half and earn themselves a free kick in the 48th minute. The ball was cleared off the line and fell straight to Bunker but his shot curved wide.

A corner for Leiston saw a good header away by Dave Murphy but Joe Francis was able to steal the ball back and have a shot at goal, luckily Green was alert and saved the strike.

The 63rd minute saw Leiston pull back a goal, when Goodman handled the ball just outside the box. Conor Hubble stepped up to take the free kick, Green managed to save but not hold the ball and it fell for Scott Mitchell who made it 2-1.

An awful tackle on Watson saw all three of the officials onto the pitch to calm down the situation. Joe Jefford received a yellow card for the studs up challenge on Watson, but then to everyones amazement Watson was also shown a yellow as was Bunker for retaliating.

The 78th minute saw Gareth Heath get that all-important second goal for Leiston to draw level. He fired the ball low and hard into the back of the net; leaving Leighton sprawled on the floor.

A great stop by Gay denied Draycott of a goal and the tables soon changed, as it was Leon Ottley-Gooch who charged towards goal with his shot only just clearing the bar.

2 minutes remained and Leighton made their one and only substitution brining on Ash Farmer for Bunker.

A last ditch attempt for Leighton to win came in injury time when Lyon played the ball through to Watson but he was caught offside and the game ended 2-2.

The replay will take place at Bell Close on Tuesday 4th November, kick off 7:45pm, if the game is a draw after full time then, extra time and then penalties will be played.

Leighton Town FC

Team- Green, Rajaram, Ridgway, Goodman, Crook, Murphy, Bunker, Lyon, Taylor, Watson, Draycott

Subs- Farmer, Halia, Thompkins

Leiston FC

Team- Gay, Saker, Boardley, Mitchell, Jefford, Tann, Henry, Heath, Winter, Hubble, Francis

Subs- Merritt, Ottley-Gouch, Noy, Block, Rossis

Attendance- 166

By Hannah Sellman