BLUES BATTLE WITH TRAFFORD

On a very wet and windy evening the Blues took on the Greater Manchester team Trafford FC for a Pitching In NPL West match at the Tarmac Silverlands Stadium, Buxton which is Leek’s temporary home for the short term.

Leek Town welcomed Trafford FC knowing this would be a tough opening home game for them, the Manchester based team having a home draw with Colne FC last Saturday and coming in with a strong preseason. The match proved to be another tough test for the Leek team, though they battled both Trafford and the atrocious weather in the second half to get a result. It was very much a game of two halves with Leek dominant initially with two fine goals from Danny Trickett-Smith but Trafford getting enough chances to win the match in the second period.

A good crowd of 232 saw an entertaining match with lots of chances for both sides, though it was a case of missed chances for Leek in the first half that meant the Blues could not hold on to get that first league win, the match ending in a 2-2 draw.

The Blues now look forward to playing their FA Cup Preliminary match away to Gresley Rovers on Saturday 21st August.

Both teams started brightly but it was the Blues that struck first, when on 4 minutes, forward Trickett-Smith beat offside and struck cleanly past Trafford keeper, Cooper, a well taken goal,1-0 to Leek Town. Then the Blues’ Will Saxon almost tapped in from a great Grice cross from the right. In a fast paced and end to end first 20 minutes, Leek continued to move the ball quickly and knocked several longer passes over the top in an effort to expose the Trafford defence. For the Blues, again it was Trickett-Smith prominent and on 21 minutes he was fouled on the edge of the box, he then struck a fantastic free-kick that beat the Trafford wall as well as the keeper, a great strike, Leek Town 2-0.

It was now only Trafford goalkeeper Cooper that was keeping the away side in the match, he made another fine first half save onto the post from a great Grice shot on 26 minutes, so nearly another goal for the Blues. However, towards the end of the half, Trafford started to come back into the match with fine runs forward from Roxburgh and Sloan. Then on 42 minutes the Manchester team got a goal back, experienced Matty Morgan scoring with a well taken shot that easily beat an unsighted Danny Roberts, now it was only 2-1 to the Blues.

HT Leek Town 2- Trafford 1

As the second half started, the weather took a turn for the worse, Leek now facing into a hard wind. Trafford immediately went on the attack, their midfield of Palma and Hughes becoming dominant with a high press, a good chance to equalise did come to Trafford forward Mulholland, somehow, he failed to score and it was still 2-1 to Leek.

Then on 62 minutes, Trafford forwards Morgan and Burke combined well and when Leek failed to clear the ball, a fine corner from Palma was headed into his own goal by the Blues’ Reeves, now it was Leek 2-2 Trafford.

Leek tried hard to get another goal and Grice and Saxon both had great chances to beat Trafford’s Cooper from a few yards out on 70 minutes, but somehow the Blues could not get that crucial goal. With weather still awful, Trafford began again to dominate both possession and chances, they brought on experienced player Ross Davidson and he quickly made a great chance for Trafford to take the lead but somehow both Palma and Hughes missed from close in.

In the final minutes of the second half, it was end to end play from both teams. Changes came late on from Leek Town manager Baker with Bell, Clarke and Putnam coming on. After some good play from the Chester loanee Clarke, the ball fell to Blues captain Grocott who had a great shot that was cleared from near the Trafford goal, still 2-2. Soon after, referee Bruce blew the whistle. A draw and very much a match where chances fell to both teams but somehow the score stayed 2-2

FT Leek Town 2 – Trafford 2

REPORT BY LUKE REYNOLDS

Leek Town line up as follows

1. Roberts
2. Ryder
3. Keenan
4. Grocott (c)
5. Harrison
6. Chadwick
7. Wakefield replaced by Bell (82)
8. Reeves
9. Grice replaced by Clarke (82)
10. Trickett-Smith
11. Saxon replaced by Putnam (86)
Starman : Danny Trickett-Smith

Substitutes : Bavanganga, Wara (unused)
Attendance : 232 approx

Highlights available here