Leek Town put the disappointment of Saturdays home defeat against Stockton behind them to achieve their first win of the new season, and also their first ever victory at Basford, to return from Nottingham with a deserved 3 points.

Blues Manager Josh Brehaut made a number of changes to his line up for this second league game of the season. Lucas Weir, Fenton Green and Joe Woolley all stepped down to the bench with Tom Curl, Nathan Okome and Tim Grice all starting. Curl came in at right back, and would go on to have a stand out performance, which meant Liam Buckley switched over to the left full back position with Okome partnering Billy Reeves in the centre of midfield and Grice taking his customary centre forward position with Brendon Daniels moving to the right.

Looking nicely balanced Leek settled into the game and after some early Basford pressure the Blues launched their first attack on 3 mins through a bursting run by Curl. The ball was moved on through Daniels and Olly Shenton to Grice who had moved out wide, and his cross looked destined for the head of Daniels before it was taken off him at the last second by a covering defender.

An even better move a couple of minutes later almost brought the Blues their first goal of the season. The ball was played out of defence to Daniels and he had excellent vision to pick out the marauding Curl with a defence splitting pass. The full back took the ball on and unleashed an effort that smacked against the inside of the post and back out into the area where the backing up Daniels looked to put the follow-up into the unguarded net but, again, a defender was just able to get something on it and the ball was deflected just over the bar.

Basford had their first chance of the game after 9mins when a cross from the right found Ashley Chambers completely unmarked in the area but he got his header completely wrong and the ball flew well wide of Dino Vissers upright. Visser did have to save from Chambers goal bound flick a minute later as the forward met a cross from the other flank but it was a comfortable hold for the Leek goalkeeper.

On 12 mins the hard working Grice robbed the ball off Basford’s Kacy Butterfield some 40 yards out but with a lack of support up with him was forced to go it alone. He had a lot to do with 3 defenders around him but managed to get a shot away from the edge of the area that Saul Deeney was forced to save low down to his right.

The Blues positive start finally reaped its reward on 15mins as they took the lead. Alex Hurst was the provider, receiving the ball towards the left of the area and beating his fullback opponent before his cross reached Daniels at the far post and he made no mistake to sweep it home from a couple of yards out to open his account for the club.

Hurst was having a lively spell and drew a foul and booking from Victor Nierennold in the Blues next attack after the restart. From the delivery of the free kick Olly Harrison challenged for the header and the loose ball inside the area was quickly picked up by Daniels to tee up Hurst for the shot which went agonisedly just wide of the post. Leek continued to create the better chances and came close to doubling their lead on a couple of occasions.

On 22min, Shenton epitomised the work ethic running through the whole side by chasing down a ball played back to Deeney and forcing the keeper to pass the ball straight to Hurst. He ran forward and delivered a dangerous low cross to the edge of the 6 yard box that Grice was millimetres away from touching in with his outstretched leg. Then on 27mins Leek attacked down the right after Curl had won the ball and advanced in the Basford half. Passes were exchanged between Daniels and Okome before being fed out wide to Curl who had continued his run. The full back delivered a whipped cross into the area and Grice’s stooping header rippled the side netting just the wrong side of the near post.

The Blues were almost made to pay for these missed chances on 33 mins when Chambers low shot from the edge of the area was tipped onto the post by a great save by Visser low down to his right but, overall, Brehauts men were well worthy of their lead going into the break as a result of the energy they had shown and the hard work they had put in.

And a further demonstration of Leeks work ethic was shown by Curl. The full back misjudged a ball allowing Jordan Hallum to pick it up and drive at the Leek defence. The Basford player powered past both Harrison and Liam Edwards but Curl had chased and tracked back to make a vital recovery challenge inside the area to clear the danger.

BASFORD UNITED 0 - LEEK TOWN 1 HT

The home side came out strongly at the start of the second period moving the ball a lot more quickly than they had done previously and, being a big tall side, looking at every opportunity to send in crosses with the Leek defence being put under some severe pressure. Visser did well to punch away one such cross whilst Harrison used his own height and excellent positioning to head away a couple of others as the Blues held firm.

On the hour mark Brehaut made a couple of substitutions, bringing on Tyreece Onyeka for Hurst, in the hope of using Onyekas pace to exploit the Basford defence that were now pushed further up the field, whilst Lucas Weir replaced Daniels in a bid to shore up the midfield a little more.

Onyeka had an immediate impact after receiving the ball down the right when his low ball into the area for Grice was inviting a first time shot but instead Leeks no.9 looked to flick the ball back to find Shenton and it was half a yard too short allowing a defender to nip in and clear. The Blues retrieved the ball, however, and won their first corner of the game. Weir drove the ball towards the far post where Harrison met it with a free downward header and should have done better to get it on target but it was a yard wide. It was, however, the big defenders only misjudgement of the night as he would continue to prove to be a rock alongside partner Edwards as the Basford crosses continued to fly in.

In fact the hosts best chance came when they kept the ball on the ground. On 73mins there was a good interchange of passes down the Basford right to release Nierennold in the area and his low cross somehow managed to avoid a clutch of waiting yellow shirts as the Leek goal had a lucky escape.

The Blues had a great chance to put the game to bed on 80mins when Weir was able to capitalise on some poor control by a Basford player to win the ball and put Grice through on goal. With a couple of defenders breathing down his neck he took the ball on as far as he could before releasing his shot only to see Deeney pull off an important save to his right to push the ball out for a corner.

Whilst Deeney’s save was important in keeping Basford in the game his counterpart, Visser, pulled off an equally important and good save in stoppage time that would clinch the win for his side as Kacy Butterfields low drive was pushed wide to his left by the Leek goalkeeper.

BASFORD UNITED 0 - LEEK TOWN 1 FT

So a short respite before we undertake the long trip to Cumbria to play our old friends Workington AFC - Match Preview HERE

REPORT BY WINNERS LAD

Match photos courtesy of Jim Booth HERE