First Team
Matches
Sat 27 Aug 2016
Leighton Town F C
First Team
1
3
Hadley
Leighton Town 1 - Hadley 3

Leighton Town 1 - Hadley 3

Andrew Parker29 Aug 2016 - 11:43
Share via
FacebookTwitter
https://www.leightontownfc.co.

Leighton Town 1 - Hadley 3

Whilst it is too early to be calling games ‘’6 pointers’’ both teams would have come into this fixture not wanting to lose as both were still winless in the league with Hadley on 2 draws to Leighton’s one, with neither wanting another loss to their belts.

The opening exchanges lacked quality but striker Matt Bateman did win a free-kick in a good position on the edge of Hadley’s box and whilst it was a probing cross into the area it was well cleared. Both teams struggled to create chances at the start of the first half and it wasn’t until Nick Chrysanthou’s well wide shot that the first effort of the game was chalked up.

Leighton nearly put themselves in danger after a bit of miscommunication between Mark Smith and Jack Sillitoe in the Leighton goal over clearing a cross but the danger was averted. Sillitoe had to deal with a long shot from Zaine Gangadeen not long after but it was comfortable for the ‘keeper.

Hadley had started to play some good football and were then rewarded with this when Hesham Benmansour had a free header but Sillitoe did very well to claw it out.

However in the 29th minute their good football was rewarded even further with a goal. Some poor defending meant that Chraysanthou and Benmansour were able to link up in the box and it was Benmansour who did well to coolly slot it past Sillitoe and intClick Hereo the bottom corner.

The goal woke Town up and they had arguably their best chance of the game so far not long afterwards as a inviting cross narrowly missed Bateman who was in a great position to head home. Then Leighton got a corner and Jack Copson’s cross fell to Craig Maisiri his flick on was narrowly wide of the target.

However Bateman did manage to get a header away after a good cross from Maisiri he was slightly off balance but his header was not too wide of the mark.

Depite the fact that Leighton were improving Hadley nearly made it 2-0 Bilal Sanchez with a lovely turn and shot that was blocked as far as Benmansour who miss hit it in a good area and forced a save out of Sillitoe.

However on the stroke of half time Leighton equalised; Matt Hewitt made a neat run on the left wing and pulled it back for Ben Gallant, he laid it off for Maisiri who struck it from around 25 yards he got power behind his strike and Sam House couldn’t do enough to keep it out.

Leighton made 2 half time substitutions to change things up as Aaron McKee and Hewitt came off for Jack Elliot and Jordan Davis. Despite this Hadley had a good start to the second half a cross came in and a Hadley snap shot was inches away from sneaking in the post.

Bateman was having a good game for Town and with some great hold up play won it and laid it off to Gallant his shot wasn’t far over the bar but it was rising. Then Marcus Campbell picked it up on the nearside ran across the box turned and struck it but it was straight at the keeper.

Leighton were a much improved side in this second half and Campbell was involved again with another neat run this time winning a corner for the hosts. The corner caused problems for Hadley and it came to Jack Elliot who got a shot away in a crowded area but House claimed.

However by no means were Hadley out of the game and the Leighton defense switched off when Benmansour looked offside but his shot was just about blocked.

The second half was much more entertaining than the first and Benmansour again was involved for Hadley this time with a cross-shot being cleared off the line by Copson.

Reece Williams had Leighton’s next effort of note with a strike that was blocked after more good play from Bateman it then came to Campbell for the seconds but it was a routine save for the keeper.

Hadley brought on Tyrone Mulholland as a substitute and he looked lively coming on ghosting past a Leighton defender and shot inches wide. Leighton then had 2 very good chances to go ahead. Jack Copson made a lovely incisive long long cross into the area to Bateman; his header wasn’t far off target and it came back to Gallant his header was just over.

This second half was almost like a pendulum at times and it swung back into Hadley’s favour when their referee gave them a penalty after he said that Zaine Gangadeen was fouled. Chrysanthou stepped up to take it and sent Sillitoe the wrong way shooting into the right corner in the 83rd minute.

Leighton tried to get it back to 2-2 when Bateman played in Campbell his shot was saved it came to Davis and ended with the same result. Any chance of a Leighton comeback was soon extinguished when Hadley were awarded a second penalty when the linesman deemed Elliot to have handballed it inside the box. Chrysanthou stepped up again and again slotted to the right past Sillitoe in the 93rd minute and 3-1 it finished in favour of Hadley.

They say that when you’re down at the bottom your luck goes against you and Leighton may have agreed today. While Hadley were the better side in the first half Leighton were more than a match for them in the second and were unlucky not to pick up another point today. Despite the result there were positives to take from the performance, which was much improved in the second half. If Leighton continue to play like they did in periods of the second half the points will come sooner rather than later.

Leighton are away to Leverstock Green next Saturday before returning to Bell Close next Tuesday for the visit of Tring in a Premier Division cup game.

Report by

James D'Arcy

Match details

Match date

Sat 27 Aug 2016

Kickoff

15:00

Attendance

62
Team overview
Further reading