10 men Leighton keep battling till the end

Once again Craig Bicknell was tasked with putting an odds and ends team together with numerous players still out injured, new signing Dan Hart made his debut appearance playing as part of the back 4.

Royston started with the ball and the first 5 minutes of play were very timid, it wasn't till the ball found the feet of Claude Seanla that things started to pick up pace. A good cross then from Christian Lester found the head of Danny Watson who headed the ball towards goal but it was easily caught.

The tables turned and it was Roystons' Kaan Fehmis' turn to launch the ball into the box finding Jack Bradshaw but as he turned with the ball Chris Crook was there to stop him from scoring.

Paul Lyon made a great tackle only to be met with roars from the crowd and players disagreeing, thinking Royston should have been award a free kick.

Another chance for Leighton to take an early lead came, when Seanla worked hard to win the ball just outside the box, unfortunately his handwork was wasted, when he passed the ball to Watson who didn't strike the ball first time.

New man Hart found himself being booked only 16 minutes in, when a superb tackle was deemed unsatisfactory by the referee. The first corner of the game made an appearance in the 20th minute for Leighton. A great ball in by Phil Draycott found the head of Crook who put it just past the post.

Scott Bridges broke away for Royston in the 27th minute and played the ball through into the box but there was no one there to tap it in. A free kick for Royston saw Leightons Jamie Nicholls precariously head the ball home to Dan Green but the ball fell into the net, thankfully the lino had flagged for offside.

Michael Lyon was shown a yellow card in the 28th minute for Leighton. Treatment was need for Draycott after he sustained a head injury 32 minutes in.

Leighton kept firing the ball at Paul Bastock from all angles hoping he'd falter but he remained strong. A shocking decision in the 40th minute by the referee saw Michael Lyon receive a second yellow card and sent off the pitch.

With Leighton down to 10 men they didn't give up hope, a free kick won by Seanla was taken by Draycott which Tyrone Taylor then headed over the bar. Making the score 0-0 at half time.

Leighton kicked off the second half and straight away won themselves a corner, however when the ball landed with Nicholls his shot was more of a pass back to Bastock.

A yellow card was shown to Seanla in the 48th minute. A substitution for Leighton saw Watson off and Mark Bunker on.

Lester and Nicholls worked well to get the ball forward to Seanla in the air but he didn't jump quite high enough to get a touch on the ball. A second substitution for Leighton saw Nicholls off and Ash Farmer on.

Farmer took a pot shot at goal when he found himself with the ball in the 65th minute and he's shot wasn't that far over the bar.

Only 2 minutes after Leightons' shot the ball fell for Craig Hammond who stormed his way through Leightons' back 4 and found the back of the net, putting Royston into the lead.

A bit of miscommunication took place in the 71st when the referee blew for a foul but didn't clearly state for which team. Fehmi presumed it was for Royston so went ahead and kicked the ball into play, but the referee stopped the game again and booked Fehmi and then clearly stated it was a Leighton free kick.

Another booking for Leighton came in the 73rd minute when Bunker was shown a yellow for a silly foul. A chance came to even the score line for Leighton when a cross from Draycott found the head of Seanla but as he headed it down it bounced higher than expected and over the bar.

With only 10 minutes to go Draycott should have buried the ball in the back of the net but he took the ball to far and Roystons' defence stopped him in his tracks. Seanla was substituted off for Leighton and Aaron Morgan was brought on.

A crucial stop by Bunker in the 90th minute denied Robbie Nightingale of a goal, but 3 minutes into injury time Crook passed the ball back to Green who caught the ball and as it was deemed as a back pass. Royston were awarded free kick in the box, Fehmi stepped up to the ball and didn't disappoint making it 2-0 to Royston.

Leightons next game is away to Daventry on Saturday 4th October, kick off 3pm.

Royston Town FC

Team- Bastock, Bradshaw, Endacott, Bridges, Powell, Theobald, Mentis, Bridges, Fehmi, Hammond, Dobson

Subs- Collins, Hart, Nightingale, Lockett, Azzopardi

Leighton Town FC

Team- Green, M.Lyon, Hart, Crook, P.Lyon, Nicholls, Taylor, Lester, Seanla, Watson, Draycott

Subs- Farmer, Bunker, Durcan, Morgan, Haila

Attendance- 163

By Hannah Sellman