Cogenhoe United 3 - Leighton Town 2

Cogenhoe United 3 - 2 Leighton Town

Leighton travelled to Northampton on Saturday hoping for a win but it was their United Counties League opponents who despite being reduced to 10 men in the first half showed the spirit and determination required to make progress and they will now deservedly be in the draw for the next round.

Town made a decent start to the game and in only the third minute Matt Hall found Aston Goss out on the right and when he knocked the ball across Ben Gallant battled for possession and eventually James Hatch drove the ball across goal to Samson Alalade who put Town in front.
The home side attacked two minutes after this and won a corner which Aaron Bufton punched clear and the follow up shot was driven over the bar.
Cogenhoe then broke quickly down their right flank and only a good interception by Matt Hall ended the threat. In the 10th minute a long pass found Alalade but the Town forward could not take advantage.
Cogenhoe replied with another quick break down their right wing but this was wasted when the ball was knocked behind for a goal kick. A few minutes later Keiron Schmidt gave the ball away in midfield and Leslie shot wide from 40 yards.
In the 20th minute the hosts drew level when Orooz strode forward unchallenged in midfield and from about 30yards fired in a fierce low shot that bounced just in front of Town keeper Bufton before finding the back of the net. Leighton replied with a good 3 man move but Scmidt shot tamely at the keeper. In the 28th minute following a long throw by James Hatch Shayne Almond's volleyed effort which looked to be on target was deflected over the bar by a defender but from the resulting corner kick Alalade got a foot to the ball and Ben Gallant knocked it over the line to trestore Leighton's lead.
Town rode their luck in the 30th minute when a superb 30 yard strike by Cogenhoe's Orooz struck the crossbar with Bufton well beaten. Six minutes before the interval a clever diagonal pass split the Town defence but Orooz from close in could not produce the finish the pass deserved. With half time approaching the hosts were reduced to 10 men when their centre back Herbert was sent off for kicking Alalade.
With the wind behind them Leighton must have fancied their chances against ten men and in the 56th minute some good skill by Aston Goss saw him beat his marker easily but his simple ball across the face of the goal was miskicked by Shayne Almond with the goal at his mercy and Leighton's best chance of securing a win disappeared.
Four minutes later the hosts drew level following a free kick which was poorly defended by the Town defence and Bowen fired home.
A minute later Town won a corner and this only needed a touch but nobody reacted and the chance was lost.
James Hatch was forced to leave the field with an injury and Criag Maisiri replaced him in midfield after an hour.
In the 68th minute Cogenhoe took the lead for the first time. After a shot at goal went well wide and out to right flank, Cogenhoe were quicker to the ball and when it was crossed into the box the unmarked Cassidy drove it firmly into the Town net to wild celebration from the home players.
Town's last good chance arrived in the 77th minute when following a good move down their left wing, Paul Brown's cross reached Shayne Almond but his well struck shot was well saved before being kicked away by a home defender.

Leighton return to League action next Saturday at Fleet and need a victory to get their season back on course.

Team: 1:Bufton, 2:Jenkins, 3:P.Brown, 4: Hazet, 5:Hall, 6:Hatch, 7: Goss, 8:Schmidt, 9:Alalade, 10:Gallant, 11:Almond
Subs: 12:Maisiri 9 replaced Hatch 62min), 14:Kerron Birch( for
Jenkins-79 mins) 15:Semenerio, 16:Olukanmi(for Goss-74min), 17:Copson
18:D.Brown

Att:84