Long awaited win for Leighton

Leighton Town FC 2-0 Potters Bar Town FC

With everyone suffering from football withdrawal symptoms due to so many postponements, finally after 12 days it was time for Leighton to face 13th in the league Potters Bar.

Leighton previously caned the Scholars back in October at the Pakex Stadium, beating them 3-0, with goals from Claude Senla, Phil Draycott and Danny Watson. 

Kicking off the first half Leighton set the pace of the game, with Billy Lobjoit having a shot in the 8th minute straight at Mike Underwood. 

10 minutes in and Leighton had their first corner of the game however it was easily cleared. Draycott found himself facing an open goal in the 16th minute, his shot was low and powerful but went wide of the post.

Two consecutive saves from Zaki Oualah denied Josh Hutchinson and Chris Doyle of goals for Potters Bar. Christian Lester made a great tackle in the 30th minute, stopping Joe Bennett in his tracks towards goal. 

A great ball in by Billy Lobjoit, found the head of Tyrone Taylor, he tried to head the ball home but Underwood managed to get his fingertips to the ball and force it over the bar. 

Missed chances were once again Leighton's downfall, with an open goal twice within a few minutes Danny Watson was unable to put them into the lead. 

With the second half underway Leighton were determined to get a goal. Mark Bunker fired a long ball in but it went well wide of the post. Potters Bar then defended well blocking shots from Billy Lobjoit and Draycott.

Watson received a yellow card in the 64th minute whilst on the ground injured. Leighton made their first substitution in the 69th minute bringing off Ash Farmer for Aaron Morgan. 

It all came together in the 72nd minute for Leighton, when Draycott played the ball past the keeper and into the bottom corner of the net, making it 1-0. 

Lester received a yellow card for a foul in the 74th minute and four minutes later Billy Lobjoit came off to make way for Claude Senla. 

An open goal in the 82nd minute saw Taylor attempt to make it 2-0 but Jack Friend was there to stop the shot. 

It wasn't long before a long awaited second goal for Leighton made an appearance. A great ball in by Taylor found Senla and he calmly slotted the ball straight past Underwood, sending Leighton into a 2-0 lead. 

Leighton's final substitution saw Michael Lyon replace Draycott. The final minute of the game saw Oualah dive for the ball and it was up to both Gary Ridgway and Lester to head the ball off the line when it fell to the feet of Potters Bar. 

Two minutes into injury time and Senla tried to lob the keeper to get a third goal for Leighton, but it flew just over the bar.

Leighton's next game is at home to Arlesey Town in the second round of the Beds Senior Cup on Tuesday 27th January, kick off 7:45pm.

Potters Bar Town

Team- Underwood, Rispon, Bennett, Friend, Woolridge, Bowditch, Penny, Doyle, Hutchinson, Hatherly, Oyinsan

Subs- Bello- Balogan, Sullivan, Atkinson

Leighton Town

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

Subs- L.Lobjoit, Green, M.Lyon, Morgan, Goodman 

Attendance- 70

By Hannah Sellman 

Leighton rock the bar at the Pakex Stadium

Potters Bar Town FC 0-3 Leighton Town FC

After successfully making it into the second round of the FA Trophy on Tuesday night, Leighton were brought back down to earth with a tricky game against second in the league Potters Bar.

Leighton kicked off looking strong, but were constantly being caught offside much to the annoyance of the crowd. The first 10 minutes saw Leighton crossing the ball in left, right and centre only for them to be denied of a goal by the lack of players in the box.

A shot from Danny Watson in the 24th minute saw the ball skim over the bar and play was then stopped as Robbie Goodman was treated for an injured shoulder.

Potters Bar had their first corner of the game in the 33rd minute. The ball flew straight across the goal only needing a touch to put them into the lead, however it went straight out for another corner before being well cleared by Leighton.

An unmarked Joe Bennett in the 37th minute saw him slide the ball across to Lamar Simpson but his shot could only find the hands of Dan Green. Good footwork by Alvin Rajaram stopped Lamar Simpson in his tracks as he made his way towards goal only moments later.

With 40 minutes gone, a spectacular ball by Phil Draycott flew towards the goal, bounced off the far post and flew into the corner of the net, putting Leighton into a well-deserved 1-0 lead.

A miss kick by Jack Friend saw the ball ricochet off Danny McNicholas and land at the feet of Claude Senla but his shot bounced behind the back of the net.

A half time announcement revealed that one of the assistant referees had picked up an injury, so Leighton Town supporter Matt Parsons volunteered to take over.

Potters Bar kicked off the second half and a chance came for James Ewington to equalised when he saw Green off his line and no defenders in sight but he panicked and skied the ball over the bar.

With only 4 minutes gone of the second half the determination to win was written all over the faces of Leighton. Draycott played a lovely ball to Senla who slotted it past the keeper without too much trouble, putting Leighton 2-0 up.

56 minutes in and Michael Lyon came on in place of Ash Farmer and moments later Lyon and Mark Bunker both received yellow cards.

A good two handed save over the bar by Green denied Potters Bar of yet another goal. Leightons' second substitution saw Tyrone Taylor come on for Christian Lester.

In the 63rd minute Jack Friends' free kick flew straight across the open goal but there was no one to give the ball the nudge it needed to cross the line.

A Draycott corner curled round to the far post of the goal in the 67th minute finding the towering head of Goodman who headed the ball home.

Chris Doyle could have scored Potters Bars' consolation goal in the 71st minute but his strike hit the bar and ricocheted out to Leighton.

Tommy Boxer was shown a yellow card in the 74th when a bad tackle on Draycott saw him escorted off the pitch and replaced with Aaron Morgan.

The last 5 minutes saw Leighton continue to walk all over Potters Bar, Morgan livened the game up, not backing down when the ball was lost to the opposition and Gary Ridgway won a corner before the final whistle was blown. However Leighton couldn't put another past McNicholas and the game finished at 3-0 to Leighton. 

Leightons next game is at home against North Greenford on Tuesday 28th October, kick off 7:45pm.

Leighton Town FC

Team- Green, Rajaram, Ridgway, Bunker, Crook, Goodman, Farmer, Lester, Senla, Watson, Draycott

Subs- Durcan, Murphy, Lyon, Morgan, Taylor

Potters Bar Town FC

Team- McNicholas, Feltwell, Clifford, Friend, Bozer, Bowditch, Shepherd, Bennett, Hutchinson, Ewington, Simpson

Subs- Akinyemi, Sullivan, Doyle

Attendance- 129

By Hannah Sellman