North Leigh 2 - 2 Fleet Town

The Millers totally dominated play in a one sided first half but found themselves two goals down at half time as the visitors, who are down at the bottom of the league and were missing a number of regular first teamers, had scored two good goals from the very limited number of occasions that they got anywhere near the Millers’ goal.

Time and time again in the half after a smooth build up the Leigh attacks broke down in and around the Fleet penalty area through a poor final pass, a block by a Fleet defender or on a few occasions a save by the keeper.

Jamie Cook had the first effort on goal as he received a pass from Kieran Sanders on two minutes but fired high over the Fleet crossbar. This was followed by a similar effort a few minutes later by Aaron Woodley. Fleet's first effort came shortly after on 9 minutes from their captain and main striker Simba Mlambo who received the ball down the right channel bobbed and weaved to the edge of the box and although closely marked by Andy Gunn managed to shoot just wide of the far post, a warning of things to come.

After further efforts on the visitor’s goal by Callum McNish, Cook & Sanders the first goal came on 21 minutes totally against the run of play. Fleet's left winger Craig Martin swung over a high cross into the Leigh box where midfielder Ben White stole behind the two Leigh centrebacks to head past keeper Matt Bulman into the far corner from close range. This setback drove the home side to even greater attacking efforts which on 40 minutes seemed to have been rewarded as Fleet centreback Dan Rousell was penalised for a tackle as he brought down Woodley as he ran past him right side of the box. However Cook's penalty although well struck smashed against the bar and was cleared. Five minutes later in first half injury time to add to the home side's woes, Mlambo converted another Martin cross with a header from 3 yards that looped over Bulman for Fleet's second goal.

HT: North Leigh 0 - 2 Fleet Town

Clearly Leigh's team management relayed a few home truths to the players who came out for the second half fired up straight from the kick off and it bore fruit within two minutes as McNish finished off with a clipped right foot shot from 5 yards past keeper Ryan Price after good work by substitute Morgan Williams on for Woodley. A minute later the sides were level as Sanders headed home from close range at the far post from a Michael Hopkins left wing cross.

At this point it seemed certain that Leigh buoyed up by these two early strikes would go on and win comfortably, but try as they might for the remainder of the game they just couldn't find a way through the Fleet defence. At some point in the second half the whole midfield and strike force of the home side tried and failed to penetrate the Fleet defence with shots, all to no avail.

Indeed in the final few minutes of the game Fleet had two gilt edged chances to win the game. First danger man Mlambo in a rare breakaway by Fleet managed to hit the post with a shot from less than two yards out and then Fleet substitute Jack White who was fed a ball across the box by Mlambo, failed with a weak lobbed shot with only the keeper to beat.

In the end this was definitely one of those games where Leigh would regard it as two points dropped and for Fleet Town it was a hard fought well earned point.

FT: North Leigh 2 - 2 Fleet Town

North Leigh: Bulman, Else, Hopkins, Turk (Bowles 70), Gunn, Caton, Sanders, McNish, Cook, Osborne-Ricketts, Woodley (Williams 45) Subs not used: Westlake, Eadle

Attendance: 50

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