Leighton's winning ways halted against high flying Bedworth

Leighton Town FC 0-2 Bedworth United

With two wins under their belt, Leighton went into the game with their heads held high. However with Bedworth currently sat second in the table it wasn't going to be a walk in the park for Leighton.

Bedworth kicked off and Leighton worked well to win the ball back. They had their first chance of scoring when Christian Lester played the ball straight across the goal and past the post 5 minutes in. 

It wasn't long before Tyrone Taylor tested out his long throw's on Denham Hinds. With the ball reaching the box Hinds came for it only to collide with Lester allowing the ball to fall for Phil Draycott who skied it over the bar. 

Alex Naughton's game was short lived for Bedworth when he hobbled off the pitch with an ankle injury in the 25th minute.

With Bedworth down to 10 men it seemed to confuse Leighton and they were sleeping at the back. Daniel Creaney made his way past Taylor and slotted the ball into the back of the net, making it 1-0 to Bedworth.

Lester had a chance to equalise but his shot was more like a pass back into the hands of Hinds. Leighton were lucky not to go 2-0 down in the 42nd minute, when Daniel Dubidat walked all over Leighton's defence, but he miss kicked his shot and Zaki Oualah gathered it with ease. 

With only seconds before half time it was handbags at dawn and the game became out of hand, with punches being thrown. After a discussion took place between the officials it was decided that Draycott and Peter Folkes would receive yellow cards.

The game restarted and straight away Aaron Morgan was fouled by Ben Steane who was shown a yellow card. It was far from over for the yellow cards when right before the half time whistle Alvin Rajaram was added to the book for kicking the ball away. 

With the second half finally underway, Bedworth were keen to get the ball past Oualah again and came close twice in two minutes with both shot being taken by Creaney.

The yellow card appeared yet again for Leighton, this time for Michael Lyon in the 51st minute. Leighton's first substitution saw Claude Senla come on for Ash Farmer. 

Bedworth managed to earn themselves a corner in the 58th minute and they didn't disappoint. With no one on the back post and Oualah no where to be seen, Dubidat put the ball in the net. 

Danny Watson received a yellow card in the 61st minute for not keeping his mouth shut when he was told to. Rajaram picked up an injury only moments later and Chris Crook took his place. 

A cracking pass by Taylor found an unmarked Watson but he hesitated, losing the ball. But luckily Lyon was there to win the ball back and earned himself a free kick. 

After only being on the pitch for seven minutes Crook received a yellow card for pulling back a player. A great save by Oualah denied Dubidat a brace and what could have been a third goal for Bedworth.

With 4 bookings already it was no surprise when the referee reached into his pocket to show Lester a yellow card in the 74th minute. Leighton's final substitution saw Aaron Morgan replaced with Remy Forrester. 

Lyon hit the woodwork in the 77th minute and it wasn't long before Watson came close but his shot was just wide and he hit the post. A last minute save by Oualah yet again denied Dubidat of a goal.

This result and the fact that Beaconsfield beat Barton 4-2 today, see's Leighton slip down to 20th in the league table.

Leighton's next game is away to Kettering on Tuesday 3rd March, kick off 7:45pm. 

Bedworth United

Team- Hinds, Ashmore, Rowe, Creaney, Westwood, Tullin, Folkes, Steane, Naughton, Dubidat, Degville-Cross

Subs- Cartwright, Blenkinsopp, Robinson, Donovan

Leighton Town

Team- Oualah, M. Lyon, Ridgway, Goodman, Rajaram, Taylor, Farmer, Morgan, Lester, Watson, Draycott

Subs- Senla, Green, Crook, Flux, Forrester 

Attendance- 102

By Hannah Sellman 

Officials cost Leighton the game

Bedworth United 2-1 Leighton Town FC

A welcome sight greeted Leighton when they turned up at The Oval, a brand new 3G pitch and an above average crowd for the game.

With 5 men missing for Leighton and Bedworth sat 2nd in the league, a draw would have been a dream come true.

Bedworth kicked off and straight away Daniel Creaney had a shot at goal but Ross Tompkins managed to convert it out for a corner. 

A cross by Danny Watson in the 17th minute could only find the head of Mark Albrighton but he couldn't quite clear his line as the ball fell to Claude Senla but his shot was off target. 

Play was stopped in the 19th minute as a bad tackle from Luke Rowe on Alvin Rajaram, saw him needing treatment. 

Half way through the first half and Daniel Dubidat had a go at goal but Tompkins caught and held the ball firmly. 

Some great work by Leighton's midfield saw Watson back heel the ball to Phil Draycott and with Denham Hinds out of his goal, he slotted the ball into the back of the net, putting Leighton 1-0 up. 

Alex Naughton managed to find a way past Robbie Goodman in the 39th minute but after all the hard work his shot went well over the bar.

Naughton didn't give up hope and on the stroke of half time he ran rings around Gary Ridgway and found the back of the net, making it 1-1. 

Leighton kicked off the second half looking strong and a ball from Ash Farmer to Senla only just curled outside of the post.

Bedworth were living a charmed life as Leighton had two more chances to score, one from a Draycott free kick which Hinds dived to save and one from a corner which Senla could only head over the bar.

Tompkins managed to save a powerful shot by Naughton with his fingertips in the 53rd minute but it fell for Rowe who walked the ball into the net, putting Bedworth into a 2-1 lead.

The 59th minute saw Tompkins off his line and Leighton's defence were no where to be seen, Rowe slipped past with ease but Rajaram managed to make up enough ground to put him off taking a shot.

Appeals for handball were heard from Leighton only a minute later but the referee dismissed the idea and allowed play to carry on. 

Dave Murphy fired the ball in from long range in the 66th minute and saw Hinds having to jump off his line to make the save. 

Mark Bunker and Albrighton were both shown a yellow card in the 73rd minute for manhandling. Senla had a great chance from the free kick that Leighton were awarded but the referee blew for offside.

The 78th minute saw things get heated when Dubidat and Senla both went for the ball and ended up on their backs, both were shown a yellow card. 

Leighton made their one and only substitution in the 80th minute bringing on Harvey-Bailey Irving for Rajaram. 

Leighton should have been awarded another penalty with only 3 minutes to go. Draycott was taken down in the box and then pushed back down. However the referee pulled out his yellow card and booked Draycott for diving. 

Naughton had a wayward shot at goal for Bedworth in the last minute of the game and Farmer was also shown a yellow card just before the final whistle.

Leighton's next game is at home to North Greenford United on Tuesday 9th December in the Red Insure Cup, kick off 7:45pm.

Leighton Town FC

Team- Tompkins, Rajaram, Ridgway, Goodman, Murphy, Farmer, Bunker, Lyon, Senla, Watson, Draycott

Subs- Irving, Taylor, Green

Bedworth United 

Team- Hinds, Ashmore, Rowe, Creaney, Folkes, Albrighton, Westwoord, Dubidat, Naughton, Steane

Subs- Bevas, Kirby, Yullin, Johnson, Donovan

Attendance- 180 

Bye Hannah Sellman