Leek Town gave their supporters an early Christmas present as they turned in their best performance of the season to earn a comprehensive 4-1 victory and achieve a seasons double over Basford United.

The game provided a couple of firsts with the Blues scoring more than two goals in a game for the first time this season and Louis Potts getting his first goal for the club. The margin of victory could have been a lot more but for a combination of wasteful finishing and good saves from Basford goalkeeper Harvey Woodword as the Blues front players wreaked havoc to create numerous chances and see each of them score in a very open game for the 488 spectators.

The first 10mins we’re notable for 2 similar free kick opportunities in promising positions at either end with Basford’s Jordan Hallam curling his effort well wide of Dino Vissers right hand post whilst, for Leek, Hayden Campbells attempt was deflected off the wall for a corner. It was from this corner that the visitors nearly took the lead as they dealt with the delivery and launched a quick break upfield. Jacob Gratton played a clever reverse pass into the path of Hallam and he took the ball on and cut inside Liam Buckley before hitting a low effort that came back off the upright.

From nearly going behind Leek should have gone ahead on 13mins when Potts was played in behind the Basford defence and looked as if he would open his account for the club but he shot straight at Woodward who had done well to make himself big. The save led to another quick counterattack with Gratton being played through in a similar position to Potts but just as he was about to shoot a tremendous recovery challenge was made by Tom Curl to block the effort.

The game remained end to end with both teams having little spells of pressure and forcing a number of corners which were well dealt with by both sets of defenders before the Blues hit their opponents with three goals in a devastating ten minute spell.

The pick of them was the opener after 22mins with Leek launching their own countertattack when Buckley was on hand to clear from a Basford attack. His ball down the line found Ollie Shenton who then looked up and struck an inch perfect 40yard diagonal ball into the path of Alex Hurst hugging the left touchline. Hurst took on and beat his full back easily and then delivered an inviting cross that Hayden Campbell met with a powerful downward header into the net from 8yds out - A lovely move.

Campbell and Hurst were instrumental in the second just 2mins later. Reflective of the high energetic press that the Blues showed throughout the game Campbell was quick to pressurise the last Basford defender as he was trying to play out from the back with the result that his pass was straight to Hurst. He played the ball onto Campbell who produced a deft little flick to return it into the path of Hurst who was clean through and in a similar position to Potts earlier chance. Again the shot was at Woodward who had spread himself well but this time the rebound to the edge of the area found Ollie Shenton who’s shot into the ground nicely looped up and over a defender trying to provide cover for the unguarded goal and into the net.

Leek’s third came after Campbell was clumsily bundled to the ground after being found with an astute little pass inside the area after 32mins and Alex Hurst calmly stroked the ball home from the spot sending Woodward the wrong way to make it 3-0 and a long way back for the visitors.

Not settling for three the Blues continued to come forward with Potts and Campbell combining and linking up play really well. On 36mins Potts challenged for a ball played forward with Campbell showing good awareness to drop off into space in anticipation of picking up any knock down. Sure enough the ball came to him and he produced a clever lofted pass over the defenders head for Potts to run onto. The striker timed his volley with the bounce of the ball but his effort was just too high and flew over Woodwards bar.

In keeping with the flow of the first half play then swung to the other end and Gratton looked as if he would pull a goal back before Buckley produced a similar challenge to that of Curl earlier to deny the Basford striker and demonstrate that the Blues victory would be a real team effort with the defence playing their part.

In Leeks next attack after 39mins Potts found himself played into a similar position as to his volleyed effort and whilst this time he managed to keep the ball down his connection was not as good as he would have liked and Woodward was able to make the save comfortably.
The keeper then denied Potts with an even better save in the last action of the half. Again it was as a result of Campbell dropping off his strike partner to pick up the ball and slipping a pass inside for Potts to run onto but his left footed pile driver managed to be tipped over the bar by Woodward.

LEEK TOWN 3 - BASFORD UNITED 0 HT

Basford made a couple of substitutes for the start of the second half in the hope of getting back into the game but these were dashed inside the first five minutes as Leek scored their fourth goal on the break with the front three combining well to effectively put the game to bed. The ball was cleared upfield and picked up by Hurst who found Campbell and he then slid yet another ball onto Louis Potts who this time made no mistake firing home a low right footer past Woodward to cap yet another impressive performance in leading the Blues frontline.

Inevitably, with a 4-0 scoreline and the game virtually won it was inevitable that the intensity of the game, particularly from Leek would drop slightly although Billy Reeves and Adam Porter were still putting in a shift in the middle of the park to protect their defence.

But Basford were starting to see a little more of the ball and on occasions caused some concern in the Leek defence with one low left footed cross being spooned over his own bar by Curl, Ashley Chambers firing one over Vissers bar, and Joe Uveges hitting his own man with a goal bound effort.

And yet the conclusion of this period of pressure should have resulted in Leek getting their fifth of the game as Potts and Campbell again linked up well on 65mins to create the chance for Shenton. It was Potts who initially flicked the ball onto Campbell who took a touch and then played a return pass with the outside of his right foot to play Potts through. The striker had a chance to shoot but unselfishly spotted the supporting Shenton and drew Woodward to him before squaring the ball to him inside the area. However Shentons effort was straight at a covering defender on the goal line. The ball spun up into the air and Woodward tried to claim it after scrambling back to his position but was unable to and it fell once again to Shenton but again he was unable to convert and the ball was somehow blocked for a corner.

Basford continued to toil away and Visser was forced into his first save of the game on 68 mins when he was forced to tip an effort over the bar to concede a corner. This was taken quickly by the visitors and played short into Chambers who managed to ride a challenge and fire in a shot that struck a Leek hand and a penalty was awarded by the referee which Hallam took and scored to put a slight blot on the day as far the home side were concerned.

There was still a chance for Leek to restore their four goal advantage and make it a five start showing on 83 mins when substitute Ty Onyeka, on for Hurst, got away down the left hand side and put in a low dangerous cross that was not dealt with by the Basford defence. Shenton had again supported the attack well but has the ball came out to him in a central position he was unable to control his right footed effort to steer it inside the post.

Not that it mattered, as the Blues saw the game out to full time with relative ease and earn 3 very important points with tough fixtures against runaway leaders Macclesfield and a rejuvenated Matlock Town to come over the festive period.

LEEK TOWN 4 - BASFORD UNITED 1 FT

REPORT FROM WINNERS LAD

Match Photos Courtesy of Jim Booth HERE

So the Blues head into the Boxing Day fixture with some confidence after a good home win, please note the game against Macclesfield is all ticket, segregated and available tickets are available HERE - TICKETS GO OFF SALE ON CHRISTMAS EVE at 6PM

Our next home game is in 2025 - a NEW YEARS DAY FIXTURE against MATLOCK TOWN - tickets available HERE.

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Attendance : 488
Unused substitutes : Milner, Ndene