Leighton crash out of country cup

Leighton Town FC 1-4 Arlesey Town FC

With Leighton beating Biggleswade United by a single goal in the first round back in November, it was time to face Arlesey in round two. 

Arlesey currently sit 19th in the Southern League Premier Division, the same position in the table as Leighton.

Kicking off the first half Tyrone Taylor clipped the ball into the box for Ash Farmer, but he collided with the keeper before reaching the ball. 

Phil Draycott's shot was cleared off the line in the 5th minute and moments after Zaki Oualah was having to make a save to stop Sam Willett from scoring.

Leighton came close in the 12th minute, when Draycott's first shot ricochet off Arlesey's defence straight back to his feet, but he rushed his second shot and the ball went over the bar. 

The 25th minute saw Gary Ridgway covering two players, George Ironton laid off the ball to Harley Kelly who managed to fire the ball into the top corner of the net, sending Arlesey into the lead.

6 minutes later Arlesey claimed their second goal of the evening. The ball was played back to Oualah but Hallelujah Basmel was quick to put him under pressure and he found the back of the net, 2-0. 

If being 2-0 down after 30 minutes wasn't bad enough, Arlesey were awarded a penalty with 10 minutes of the first half remaining. 

Ironton stepped up to the spot and fired the ball home, making it 3-0 before half time. Danny Watson played a beautiful ball through to Draycott but his shot was too powerful and high. 

Leighton made a double substitution at half time bringing off Paul Lyon and Mark Bunker for Aaron Moran and Michael Lyon. 

Arlesey also made their first change at half time replacing Warren Plowright (ex-Leighton player) with Luke Gregson. 

Finally in the 57th minute Leighton had something to celebrate. Draycott made a great run down the left hand side to find the feet of Watson and he tapped it across the line, making it 3-1. 

Leighton kept firing the ball into the box but couldn't get that all important finish they needed. Farmer's shot came close in the 66th minute but Nick Thompson stuck his foot out to clear it off the line. 

It was all over for Leighton in the 70th minute when substitute Liam McGovern fired home Arlesey's fourth goal. Leighton made their final substitution bringing off Dave Murphy for Robbie Goodman. 

A fabulous cross my Michael Lyon found Watson, but his shot hit the outside of the post and bounced out for a goal kick. 

With 4 minutes injury time Arlesey could have got themselves a 5th goal when Stefan Bailey's shot hit the post but luckily the ball stayed out of the back of the net. 

Everyone at Leighton Town would like to wish Arlesey good luck in the next round of the Beds Senior Cup.

Leighton's next game is away to Kettering (who we beat at the beginning of the season, 3-1 at home) on Saturday 31st January, kick off 3pm. 

Arlesey Town FC

Team- Thompson, Kelly, Bailey, Plowright, Sage, Willett, Powell, Tavernier, Kegni, Basmel, Ironton

Subs- Hilaire, Endersby, William, Gregson, McGovern

Leighton Town FC 

Team- Oualah, Bunker, Ridgway, Crook, Murphy, P. Lyon, Taylor, Farmer, B. Lobjoit, Watson, Draycott

Subs- Morgan, Goodman, M. Lyon, Green 

Attendance- 41

By Hannah Sellman 

Progression for Leighton in the County Cup

Leighton Town FC 1-0 Biggleswade United

A change to the starting line up for Leighton had to be made before the game as Danny Watson pulled up injured in the warm up, he was replaced by Christian Lester. A new signing also appeared on the bench for Leighton, Harvey-Bailey Irving, who had been spotted watching some of the games this season.

Biggleswade kicked off and with a free kick being awarded in the first few minutes it looked like it was going to be a disjointed game. Will Wright was the man to take the kick but it he kicked it straight out. 

Leighton had their first corner in the 6th minute but Rui Goncalves had no trouble catching the ball from the kick. A chance for Gary Ridgway came in the 10th minute when the ball was set up for him by Phil Draycott but once again Goncalves wasn't troubled. 

The 20th minute saw Goncalves pick up the ball from a pass back and Leighton were awarded a free kick, however Draycott wasted the chance hammering the ball straight into the wall. 

Leighton continued to have numerous chances at goal, building their way up getting closer and closer only to be denied by Biggleswade's defence.

A dodgy kick by Dan Green nearly saw ex-Leighton player Jason Darvall end up with the ball, but thankfully Leighton were able to recover themselves quickly from the mistake. 

Dave Murphy was shown a yellow card in the 37th minute for a bad tackle. A chance for Mark Bunker to send Leighton into the lead came in the 39th minute when his shot was pushed over the bar by the fingertips of Goncalves. 

Finally in the 43rd minute Morgan managed to scramble past the defence and the keeper to find Lester, who put Leighton 1-0 up. 

With the second half under way Stuart Richardson went one on one with Green and fancied his chances at a goal, but Green was quick to react diving to the left saving the ball and sending it out for a corner. 

55 minutes in and with only Morgan in the box, Lester crossed the ball to him, but he couldn't jump high enough to head it home and ended up getting tangled in the net. 

Michael Lyon was replaced by new signing Irving in the 56th minute. Once again Bunker had a shot at goal but the ball was pushed over by Goncalves. Draycott took the awarded corner but it flew straight across the goal mouth with know one there to tap it in. 

Leighton could have had a second goal from a Draycott corner in the 74th minute but Biggleswade managed to pull themselves together and clear the ball after a time. 

Murphy was replaced by Alvin Rajaram in the 75th minute due to the fact he was already on a yellow card and a warning. The 80th minute saw Rajaram make a terrific run to stop Sam Nair from reaching the box. 

A well thought out stop by Green in the 83rd minute stopped Jude Eboji in his tracks and any chance of Biggleswade from getting a goal in the closing stages. The last minute of the match saw Ridgway receive a yellow card for Leighton. 

Leighton will now face Arlesey Town FC in the next round of the Beds Senior Cup.

Leighton's next game is away to North Greenford in round two of the Red Insure League Cup on Tuesday 18th November, kick off 7:45pm. 

Biggleswade United

Team- Goncalves, O' Neill, Darvall, Wright, Randall, Bilcock, Murray, Richardson, Chisholm, Boyd, Cookman

Subs- Nair, Cole, Carbon, Eboji, Russell

Leighton Town FC

Team- Green, Bunker, Ridgway, Goodman, Murphy, Taylor, Farmer, Lyon, Morgan, Lester, Draycott

Subs- Rajaram, Irving, Tompkins 

Attendance- 54

By Hannah Sellman