This midweek game against Hanley Town, played in front of a healthy crowd of 582, was one of Leek Town’s games in hand on the teams above them and they just about managed to carve out a victory with a hard fought 2-1 win that moves them up to third place; the goals coming from Dan Trickett-Smith and Olly Harrison.

The Blues were far from their best but their cause was helped by Hanley being reduced to 10 men on the stroke of half time following the dismissal of Saul Shotton for a second yellow card; with the visitors receiving a total of 9 yellows and 1 red from the referee who was obviously not enamoured with their over-zealous tackling.

Leek Manager, Josh Brehaut, made two changes to the side that had lost at Bootle on Saturday. Ross Davidson returned to the midfield and Aaron Opoku took his place in the front three, as Tom Reilly and Tom Carr returned to the substitute’s bench where they were joined by the Blues new signing from 1874 Northwich, Fenton Green.

It was Hanley, however, who made the better start to the game and they were to be the better side for the first 30 minutes. The away side looked sharper and a yard quicker than the Blues and were more fluid in their football with the likes of Jake Twyford and Reece Jones finding a lot of space between the lines, and it was no surprise when they took the lead after 17mins.

Leek had begun the game just as they had at Bootle, hitting too many long balls that were easily able to be cut out and when Davidson tried to hit another one diagonally out to the left Hanley were able to intercept, and Luke Walsh was able to slide a pass through to Tyrone Ofori inside the area where the in-form striker was able to lash the ball home off the underside of the bar from a tight angle.

Against a well organised defence led by player-manager Ryan Shotton, and a tenacious hard working midfield the Blues were struggling to get their game together with moves breaking down after only 2-3 passes. Therefore, the first real chance for the home side only came after 20mins when Davidson won a second ball and was fouled in the process. The free kick was centrally and some 30yds out. Trickett-Smith was eager to take it on and although his effort was straight into the wall it proved to be useful practice for what was to come.

After the half hour had passed Leek gradually began to work their way back into the game as Hanley’s early intensity started to wane and the Blues started to find a little more room and see more of the ball. After 32mins when Liam Buckley broke forward and was upended by a challenge by Saul Shotton that looked worthy of a yellow card but only earned a lecture from the official. Tom Scullys curled in free kick was met by Opoku who had gained half a yard on his marker but he failed to make proper contact and the ball seemed to come off his should to drift just wide of the far post.

A minute later and Hanley earned their first yellow card of the match when Twyford was booked for diving as he went down in the area after cutting back inside from a Harrison challenge before Ryan Shotton received a yellow on 37mins as he cynically brought down Opoku to stop him breaking free. This time Scullys free kick was cleared but only to Trickett-Smith who whipped in a vicious cross that required a diving header from a Hanley defender to put behind for a corner and prevent it reaching a sea of Blue shirts lurking inside the box. The corner was dealt with and provided the perfect opportunity for the visitors to launch a counterattack as they found themselves with a 3 on 2 as Walsh broke upfield. He found Jones out on the left who cut inside Louis Keenan but then hit his effort well over the top of Matt Corrans goal.

The next attack of the game brought the equaliser for Leek and Saul Shotton’s first yellow card as the Hanley no.8 went to ground and caught Opoku with a sliding challenge a few yards from the edge of the area. This free kick was a little nearer for Trickett-Smith and he was able to curl the ball beyond the reach of Adam Whitehouse to make it 1-1 on 41mins.

Having struggled from open play the goal was the boost the Blues were looking for and they immediately came forward again with an intelligent dinked ball from Trickett-Smith over the Hanley back line for Rob Stevenson to run onto, but Whitehouse had read it well and was quickly out to just beat the Leek striker to the ball.

Stevenson did receive the ball, however, on 45mins after the Blues defence had managed to withhold a period of Hanley possession around the edge of the area. He burst towards the box before being brought down just outside it by a combination of Saul Shotton and James Askey with the referee deeming Shotton to have committed the offence and showing him his second yellow card followed by a red. The free kick came to nothing as Harrison’s header at the far post looped over but the dismissal meant that Hanley would have to play the entire second half with 10 men.

LEEK TOWN 1 - HANLEY TOWN 1 HT

If the Blues faithful had expected their team to come out at the beginning of the second half eager to make their one man advantage count they were to be disappointed. Hanley, having made a substitution with Ethan Stanton reinforcing the midfield at the expense of Twyford, again made the brighter start and Keenan had to be alert to cut out a dangerous low ball from Joshua Green.

It was clear that Leek needed to move the ball quickly and with more purpose to prevent Hanley getting organised and able to exploit any space that was created, and Brehaut made his own substitution on 56mins as Davidson was withdrawn for new signing, Fenton Green. But it was another ex-1874 Northwich man, Liam Buckley who finally injected some pace with a bursting run down the right. He put in a low cross to the near post where there was a coming together of Whitehouse, Opoku and Ryan Shotton in a challenge for the ball with both Whitehouse and Opoku needing treatment as the ball went behind for a corner.

As the corner came in Whitehouse was able to gather but immediately went down again holding his side and, after a lengthy stoppage, was unable to continue. He was replaced in goal by youngster Lennon Grimley and one of his first tasks would be to pick the ball out of the net as Leek took the lead moments later.

The goal again came from a set piece after Stevenson had had his ankles taken away from him by a foul from Walsh, for which the Hanley player was booked. Keenan swung in the free kick from out wide and whilst the initial delivery was dealt with, Blues skipper Marc Grocott was able to reach the loose ball before it crossed the goal line to fire in another cross for Harrison to stoop and head home on 73mins.

Looking to test the young keeper and get a killer third goal Leek came forward again and Shotton had to produce a flying headed clearance from another Keenan cross before Grimley dropped a delivery from Stevenson inside the 6 yd box but Opoku was unable to take advantage and bundle it home.

It was at this point that the referee then went over to the Hanley sideline and brandished a yellow card to assistant manager Ben Chapman, seemingly for failing to control the Hanley bench in things being said or for failing to remain in the technical area.

As the game entered its closing stages it seemed as if Leek were content to try and retain possession of the ball for as long as possible to run the clock down without showing any real attacking intent, although Stevenson did try a right footed effort from outside the area which flew wide.
But, with only a single goal lead, and with Hanley having nothing to lose in trying to recover the game it was slightly risky and they were given a warning when Stanton’s low shot from outside the area went narrowly wide, although it did look as though Corran had it covered.

Leeks game management continued, however, and in the seven minutes of additional time that were played they were helped in their cause by Hanley’s frustrations getting the better of them and they were to pick up a further 3 yellow cards with Askey, Green and Morris all entering the referees book as the game petered out without further goalmouth incident.

LEEK TOWN 2 - HANLEY TOWN 1 FT

REPORT BY WINNERS LAD

The Blues are back at home again on Saturday where they will play newly promoted Avro, you can buy your ticket online HERE, complete with link to a free digital programme.

Match Highlights HERE

Full photo album HERE courtesy of Jim Booth & Peter Ogle

1. Corran
2. Buckley
3. Keenan
4. Davidson replaced by Green (56)
5. Harrison
6. Ndene
7. Grocott (c)
8. Scully replaced by Avery (70)
9. Opoku replaced by Carr (90)
10. Trickett-Smith
11. Stevenson

Substitutes : Merner, Reilly (unused)
Attendance : 582