Too little too late for Leighton

Leighton Town FC 1-3 North Greenford United

With the wind howling and the rain bashing down the conditions couldn't have been worse for the Red Insure Cup Second Round game, but after three postponement on the trot everyone was finally happy to get it played.

Leighton kicked off and were awarded an early free kick when a bad tackle was made on Dave Murphy by Anton Robbinson.

Phil Draycott had a chance at goal with only 4 minutes gone but the head of Michael Kinsella was there to clear the ball away. 

Another chance came for Draycott after some great play between Michael Lyon and Mark Bunker, but Melvin Minter dived to his left making a great save. 

With 23 minutes on the clock a good ball by Jack Hutchinson found Jack Read, who was completely unmarked, Leighton's defence tried to back track to stop the shot but were unsuccessful and Read put North Greenford into a 1-0 lead. 

After Leighton's mistake they were determined to equalise and only minutes after, Draycott came close when Minter was out of his goal but his shot was just over the bar. 

All was not lost for Leighton though when they were awarded a penalty. Draycott was taken down in the box by Minter and straight away the referee pointed to the spot. However it was too good to be true because the lino had flagged for offside and the referee took back his penalty decision.

Claude Senla received a yellow card after committing a foul on Andrew Maniton in the 27th minute. 

Leighton came close once again to scoring when Draycott fired the ball home but it was cleared of the line, the ball found the head of Robbie Goodman who tried to head it past the post but it hit the post and Minter collected the ball for a goal kick.

With only 2 minutes left of the first half Minter was caught time wasting and Leighton were awarded a free kick right in front of the goal. The North Greenford wall stood strong and Draycott's free kick was cleared by the shin of Robbinson. 

Before the half time whistle could be blown Ash Farmer received a yellow card. It was still all to play for in the second half for Leighton, with their numerous chances now behind them it was time to pull something out of the bag.

For the first 10 minutes of the second half North Greenford kept breaking through Leighton's defence only to be flagged offside by the lino.

A corner for Leighton in the 59th minute finally saw them equalise. Draycott curled the ball in and Senla headed the ball down and into the back of the net, making it 1-1. 

Danny Watson found himself one on one with Minter soon after the goal, but Watson hesitated and Minter managed to push the ball out as far as Senla, who took an off balance shot. 

The 66th minute saw Hutchinson take an awarded free kick, Ross Tompkins came out to stop the ball but he mishandled it on the ground and Maniton snatched the ball away with his feet and put North Greenford 2-1 up. 

Leighton made their first substitution of the game bringing off Alvin Rajaram for Chris Cook in the 70th minute. 

A much needed tackle was made by Farmer on Hutchinson in the 75th minute as he bounded on towards the goal looking unstoppable. 

Farmer was substituted off in the 77th minute to make way for returning player Warren Garcia. 

North Greenford were searching for that 3rd goal in the 80th minute when Hutchinson struck the ball and Tompkins managed to push it against the post and out for a corner. Draycott received a yellow card for taking down a player. 

Leighton's final substitution took place in the 81st minute, with Lyon being replaced with Irving. 

Garcia played a lovely ball through to Bunker, it bobbled up in front of him but he controlled it well to find Watson who's shot was just wide of the post.

Once again Leighton were caught unawares in the 87th minute. Hutchinson ran past everyone and crossed the ball into Read who struck the ball with power and it went flying through Tompkins legs, making it 3-1.

2 minutes into injury time, Kinsella was shown a yellow card after fouling Senla. Leighton were awarded a free kick and Draycott stepped up to the ball, at first it was cleared but only as far as Gary Ridgway who managed to play the ball back in, straight across the goal with no one there to nudge it across the line.

Congratulations to North Greenford United, good luck in the next round of the Red Insure Cup.

Leighton's next game is away to Uxbridge on Saturday 13th December, kick off 3pm. 

North Greenford United

Team- Minter, Robbinson, Maniton, Kinsella, Austin, Gaylor, Mohammed, Mani, Hutchinson, Read, O'Connor

Subs- Ekpiteta, Kransnial

Leighton Town FC

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

Subs- Crook, Green, Lyon, Garcia, Irving 

Attendance- 47

By Hannah Sellman 

Town bounce back in cup after major defeat

Bedford Town FC 2-2 Leighton Town FC
(2-4 on penalties) 

With Leighton losing their last 3 games and having met with Bedford in the league a few weeks ago, they went in looking for a win. Leighton were still without 6 of their players due to holidays and injuries, but 2 new signings, Sansom Alalade and Claude Seanla were there to fill in. 

Leighton kicked off the first half and it wasn't long before Robbie Goodman had to clear the ball from a cross by Tom Rawlings stopping what could have been any early chance at goal.

8 minutes in saw Phil Draycott take Leightons' first corner of the game, Tyrone Taylors' head found the ball and headed just wide of the post. 

Goodman went down with a twisted knee after a good tackle stopping Bedford from venturing further towards goal. 14 minutes in and Dan Burke won Bedford a free kick, Neil King stepped up to the ball and skied it high over the bar, a wasted chance.

Bedfords' first goal came in the 21st minute when Tom Rawlings, who was offside by about 5 yards, ran straight at Dan Green sped past him and found the back of the net. 

Leighton had the chance to equalise only 3 minutes later when a free kick by Draycott found Dave Murphy but he headed the ball straight into the keepers hands. 

Another free kick for Leighton and a scramble in the goal saw Draycotts' kick find Goodman who headed the ball straight at Shaun Markie, he pushed the ball against the post and Jamie Nicholls found the rebound, making it 1-1.

Leighton didn't give up and when the ball once again found Taylor, he headed the ball inches wide of the post. Bedford responded quickly to all of Leightons chances and had a low and powerful shot at goal, which was struck by Rob Parker, but Green had it covered. 

Michael Lyon worked well to win the ball in the 39th minute, only for Murphy to accidentally miss head it moments later. Tom Rawlings snatched the ball away and made a run towards Green, where he faced him one on one yet again, but this time could only find the side netting. 

Alalade played a lovely ball along the ground into the box in the 44th minute, but there was no one there to put it across the line. 

Leighton made a change at half time bringing off Alalade for Seanla. Bedford kicked off the second half and straight away a shot by Tom Rawlings was well blocked by Chris Crook. 

51 minutes in saw Aaron King break away from Leightons' back 4, Green came for the ball but Aaron King skirted round him and put Bedford into the lead. 

Ash Farmer was taken down and a free kick was awarded to Leighton, Draycott once again fired the ball into the box but it fell straight into the hands of Shaun Markie. 

With 63 minutes gone Leighton finally managed to make it 2-2 when a header from Taylor found Danny Watson and he booted the ball into the back of the net.

A good ball into Nicholls by Seanla saw him head the ball to Draycott, who in turn found Watson but he could only shoot the ball over the bar. Murphy went down injured in the 80th minute and received treatment before returning to the pitch. 

With the score still 2-2 in the 88th minute Craig Bicknell made the decision to bring off Taylor and Nicholls for Kyle Durcan and Aaron Morgan in preparation for the penalty shoot out. Goodman went down in the 90th + 3 minute with a head injury and 3 minutes later the referee blew up for full-time.

The players took a short break before play resumed for the penalty shoot out. 

Draycott took the first penalty for Leighton, his shot was low and powerful and found the right hand corner of the net.

Aaron King was first up for Bedford and although Green dived the right way, the ball went into the net, making it 1-1.

Next up was Morgan he kept his cool and found the bottom left hand corner of the net.

Neil Kings' penalty for Bedford didn't even reach Green as he hit the post putting Leighton 2-1 up. 

Durcan didn't disappoint when he stepped up to the spot and hammered the ball home in the top left hand corner.

Bedfords' 3rd penalty was taken by Rob Parker and the pressure was on to score, luckily for him he put the ball away.

Watson was next for Leighton and he too didn't crack under the strain and hit the ball low and hard beating the keeper to make it 4-2.

Tom Liversedge was the 4th penalty taker for Bedford, he stuck the ball with force and Green dived to his left saving the ball making Leighton the winners of the shoot out. 

Leightons' next game is away to Royston on Saturday 20th September, kick off 3pm.

Bedford Town FC

Team- Markie, Cooper, Hopewell, N.King, Woodward, McGoldrick, Macrae, Burke, Rawlings, A.King, Parker

Subs- Liversedge, Summerfield, Winters, Glasscoe

Leighton Town FC

Team- Green, Lyon, Murphy, Goodman, Crook, Taylor, Nicholls, Farmer, Alalade, Watson, Draycott

Subs- Morgan, Halai, Seanla, Durcan 

Attendance- 135 

By Hannah Sellman