Leighton finish season on a high

AFC Hayes 1-3 Leighton Town FC

Leighton faced bottom of the league AFC Hayes in their last game of the season. It was also a sad farewell to Tyrone Taylor who has decided to hang up his boots.

AFC Hayes kicked off and had the first corner of the game 4 minutes in but they could only find the side netting, however they opened the scoring in the 8th minute. Ryan Debattista strolled past Dave Murphy, went one on one with Zaki Oualah before finally putting the ball in the net. 

Billy Lobjoit went down injured early in the first half and was replaced with Christian Lester. Leighton's first real chance of the game came in the 23rd minute, when Robbie Goodman headed the ball just wide of the post.

AFC Hayes also had to make an early substitution bringing off Cristian Barrett for Carlton Stewart in the 36th minute. 

Phil Draycott tested Sam Mazurek 39 minutes in, he had to make a diving save and push the ball away with his fingertips to deny Leighton of an equaliser. Leighton managed to draw level in the 43rd minute, the ball fell for Gary Ridgway and he managed to find the back of the net. 

Mark Bunker took down David Manu just outside box moments before the half time whistle. Tom Dawson stepped up to take the free kick and Goodman was on hand to clear the ball away with his foot. 

A great ball by Taylor found Bunker, he calmly transferred the ball over to Draycott, who played it straight through Mazureks' legs, to put Leighton into the lead at half time. 

With the second half underway it was only a matter of time before things started to get heated between the two teams. In the 49th minute Manu squared up to Murphy, but thankfully the referee stepped in before it became out of hand.

Mike Kinsella clattered into Lester in the 53rd minute and subsequently caused himself more damaged than his target and was substituted off to make way for Dujon Desagurante. Leighton also made their second substitution of the game bringing off Michael Lyon for Ash Farmer. 

Shouts were heard in the 60th minute when Desagurante passed the ball back to Mazurek, but the referee seemed oblivious to the pass back and play continued. 

Danny Watson was shown a yellow card in the 62nd minute for pulling Jerome Eccleston's shirt. Only minutes later Bunker also received a yellow card for taking down Manu. 

Draycott had a pot shot at goal in the 66th minute and even though it had some power behind it, it curled just wide of the post. Taylor had a chance at goal in the 74th minute but he headed the ball over the bar.

Leighton made their final substitution brining off Draycott for Alvin Rajaram in the 78th minute. In the 83rd minute Leighton seal the deal with a third and final goal. AFC Hayes's defence were slacking and Farmer took the opportunity to score, making it 3-1. 

AFC Hayes were awarded a free kick just outside the box with 5 minutes remaining and Rajaram was on hand to ensure that the ball didn't reach the goal, clearing it well down the pitch. 

Taking into today's results Leighton Town have finished in 18th position with 43 points. A great achievement for Craig Bicknell and his team, especially with it being their first experience at this level. 

We'd like to congratulate Kettering Town on their automatic promotion and commiserations to both AFC Hayes and North Greenford United on their relegation.

Leighton Town will be having a presentation night on Saturday 9th May at 7pm at the club, to celebrate the end of the season.

AFC Hayes

Team- Mazurek, Expiteta, Barrett, Kinsella, Eccleston, Azamoah, Cass, Berry, Debattista, Dawson, Manu

Subs- Olajuby, Minter, Desagurante, Stewart, Baldwin

Leighton Town FC

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

Subs- Crook, Farmer, Rajaram, Senla, Lester 

Attendance- 76

By Hannah Sellman 

Two first half goals seal the deal for Leighton

Leighton Town FC 2-1 Daventry Town FC

It was another busy week for Craig Bicknell as he signed four new players to boast Leighton's numbers and with two new faces starting it wasn't long before the ball found the back of the net.

Daventry kicked off exactly on the hour and 11 minutes into the first half Leighton were awarded the first corner of the game. 

With the ball landing in the box it was a scrap between the two teams to get it under control but Michael Mundy managed to tap it across the line and put Leighton into the lead. 

Only a minute later Billy Lobjoit had a clear run at goal. His shot was pushed aside by Ronnie Carroll but fell to the feet of Mundy, who got his second of the game.  

Leighton had another couple of chances at goal, with Odunayo Oke's strike going just wide of the post and Ash Farmer's cross just needing an extra touch to cross the line. 

In the 26th minute Daventry managed to pull a goal back. Ricky Hill produced a long throw and as Zaki Oualah tried to punch the ball away Aaron King managed to get in the way and find the back of the net, making it 2-1.

Play was stopped in the 30th minute when Gary Ridgway sustained a knock to the nose and needed treatment. Penalty appeals were heard in the 38th minute when Ridgway was taken down badly in the box and needed treatment again this time for his shoulder. 

Leighton had a chance just before the half time whistle to get a third goal when Mark Bunker curved the ball in from a corner to find the head of Tyrone Taylor but he headed the ball over the bar. 

Mundy tried to get his hat-trick of the game when Farmer played him through but although his shot was powerful it was caught well by Carroll. 

Leighton made their first substitution during half time bringing off an injured Ridgway for Dave Murphy. With the second half underway Leighton came out fighting for another goal to inch even further ahead of Daventry and Lobjoit came close but went wide in the 46th minute. 

A silly handball by Robbie Goodman in the 55th minute saw Daventry awarded a free kick just outside the box but luckily it hit the wall. 

The 59th minute saw the game once again stopped for a head injury this time Alvin Rajaram and Daventry's James Weale who had sliced his eyebrow open and was replaced quickly with Harry Southern. 

Leighton made their second substitution bringing off Oke for Dale Turney. A great one handed save by Oualah in the 65th minute denied Daventry of an equaliser. Taylor's powerful shot in the 70th minute tested Carroll's quick reactions and he held the ball firmly. 

A final substitution was made for Leighton in the 76th minute brining of goal scorer Mundy for Anthony Ottaway. 

Ottaway played a lovely ball through to Bunker in the 81st minute, he hit the ball with power and Carroll only just managed to push it over the bar for a corner. 

Turney received a yellow card in the 88th minute for kicking the ball away after the referee had blown up for a Daventry free kick. Leighton had a last minute corner to try and make it 3-1 but it wasn't to be and it finished 2-1.

Leighton's next game is on Saturday 4th April away to Godalming, kick off 3pm. 

Daventry Town FC

Team- Carroll, Deeney, Hancocks, S.King, Hill, Henderson, Weale, Howell, Tricks, A.King, O'Connor

Subs- Kiembi, Musvnga, Zidyana, Southern, Fuller

Leighton Town FC

Team- Oualah, Bunker, Ridgway, Goodman, Rajaram, Taylor, Morgan, Oke, Mundy, Lobjoit, Farmer

Subs- Murphy, Ottaway, Irving, Turney, Sopa 

Attendance- 100

By Hannah Sellman  

Leighton loom above the line after another loss

St Ives Town 4-0 Leighton Town FC

With a depleted team due to suspensions and other more important commitments than football, Craig Bicknell managed to successfully sign Paul-George Ericson and Donik Sopa ahead of the game, however both were benched as Leighton's only two substitutes.

With the first half underway it was pretty even between the two teams and you couldn't really tell who was the mid-table team. 

Leighton had the first corner of the game 2 minutes in and with Tim Trebes missing the ball completely it was a chance to open the scoring.

A great stop by Dave Murphy denied Ben Seymour-Shove of having a shot on target for St Ives. With a corner being given, Charlie Death rattled the bar with a powerful header, before the ball was cleared down the pitch.

Murphy was shown a yellow card in the 16th minute for what looked like accidental handball. A brilliant back heel of the ball by Aaron Morgan found Gary Ridgway in the 22nd minute and his shot saw Trebes palm the ball away. 

Leighton's Danny Watson scored in the 39th minute but the flag was up for offside and the goal was disallowed. St Ives nearly made it 1-0 on the edge of half time but Murphy cleared the ball off the line while Zaki Oualah was down on the ground. 

The start of the second half saw a much more determined St Ives team and it certainly showed with Leighton not even having a shot at goal.

53 minutes in and Luke Knight headed home a beauty making it 1-0 to St Ives. Leighton made their one and only substitution bringing off Ash Farmer for Donik Sopa. 

A crucial clearance off the line from Ridgway stopped St Ives from getting a second, but in the 71st minute Sopa took down Knight in the box and St Ives were awarded a penalty.

Jack Higgs stepped up to the spot, sent Oualah the wrong way, and bagged a second goal for St Ives. A shot from Jonny Hall in the 79th minute rattled the cross bar for a second time in the game.

The 85th minute saw Oualah sprawled on the floor and the goal open for James Hall to slot the ball into the back of the net for a third goal. It didn't get any better for Leighton as 3 minutes later St Ives managed to get their fourth and final goal of the game. 

Stuart Eason headed the ball down to the feet of Seymour-Shove in the box, who easily put the ball into the net against a defeated Leighton.

Leighton's next game is at home to Daventry Town on Saturday 28th March, kick off 3pm. 

St Ives Town FC

Team- Trebes, O' Malley, Hall, Smith, Death, Knight, Seymour-Shove, Higgs, Eason, Hall, Sinclair

Subs- Moyes, Mead, Lambert, Bream, Peters

Leighton Town FC

Team- Oualah, Crook, Murphy, Goodman, Rajaram, Taylor, Lobjoit, Farmer, Morgan, Watson, Ridgway

Subs- Ericson, Sopa, Fitzjohn 

Attendance- 229

By Hannah Sellman 

Valuable point keeps Leighton afloat

Leighton Town FC 1-1 Aylesbury FC

With rumours that Aylesbury had several players out due to injury, it looked like Leighton might have the upper hand going into the game with a full squad. 

Leighton had an early chance but Danny Watson's header went just wide of the post and it wasn't long before Aylesbury took the reins. 

They had a chance just minutes later, but the ball bobbled up in front of Bradley Wadkins and Zaki Oualah was there to catch it. 

Michael Lyon did well to win the ball from Lynton Goss in the 12th minute and once again Leighton came close but when the ball fell to the feet of Billy Lobjoit he skied it over the bar. 

Finally after numerous chances Leighton put the ball into the back of the net, when Mark Bunker caught James Weatherill off his line and lobbed the ball over his head, making it 1-0 with 20 minutes on the clock.

Good fortune for Leighton didn't last long however as Aylesbury equalised only 16 minutes later. Wadkins managed work round Alvin Rajaram to hit a low powerful shot that Oulalah couldn't quite reach.

Aylesbury had their first corner in the 42 minute and Oulalah did well to punch the ball clear for Tyrone Taylor to boot it down the pitch.

With the second half underway and not much action to write home about, the game became quite scrappy and un-entertaining. 

The first real action happened in the 60th minute when Aylesbury's Aston Goss (ex-Leighton player) hassled Lobjoit and had a clear run towards goal, he struck the ball hard but Oulalah gathered it with ease. 

Leighton made two late substitution's one in the 80th minute, Ash Farmer replacing goal scorer Bunker and the second in he 82nd minute when Phil Draycott made way for Claude Senla. 

With 90 minutes on the clock substitute Gareth Price played the ball straight across goal, some confusion between Rajaram and Oualah could have allowed a goal to be scored but thankfully Oualah managed to keep the ball under control.

Leighton's next game is on Saturday 21st March away to St Ives Town, kick off 3pm.

Aylesbury FC

Team- Weatherill, A. Goss, Murphy, D. Haule, Anthony, Prosper, O' Toole, Deeney, B. Haule, Wadkins, L. Goss

Subs- Price, Jackson, McLachlan, Bateman, Logie

Leighton Town FC

Team- Oualah, M. Lyon, Ridgway, Goodman, Rajaram, Crook, Taylor, Bunker, B. Lobjoit, Watson, Draycott

Subs- Murphy, Forrester, Morgan, Farmer, Senla 

Attendance- 91

By Hannah Sellman