Leighton Town 1 - Fleet Town 0

Today’s game at Bell Close was vital for both Leighton and Fleet to try and distance themselves from the bottom of the table and it was the visitors who had the better start as Simba Mlambo played in Jack French who forced a smart save from Bradley Kirkwood from distance.
In these early exchanges it was Fleet creating the better chances, the next came from a free kick that was swung into the box but the resulting header went wide. Leighton were having good spells of possession but failing to use it. Josh Harfield played in a neat cross on the near side for Fleet but Kirkwood did well to claw it to Jordan Jenkins who cleared it out of play.
Leighton’s first real chance of the game came from James Hatch who started the move by linking up with Lewis McBride on the right wing before Fleet cleared for a corner. The corner was played into the box by Alex Woodfine and Hatch tried an overhead kick which was only just wide.

Rob Carr then tried the same thing for Fleet after Kirkwood found himself in no mans land but his effort was wide as well.
Despite Fleet’s early chances it was the hosts who took the lead in the 21st minute after Hatch tried to cross it to Ben Gallant but after miscommunication by Jack White and goalkeeper Ryan Price, White inadvertently turned the ball into his own net.
The goal put the wind in Leighton’s sails as Hatch tried to extend Town’s lead following a cross from James Towell but his toe poke was saved by Price. Leighton were doing well to press Fleet and restrict them and it was a result of this and incisive one touch passing that led to Hatch’s next chance; a smart volley on the turn, however it was straight at Price.

Leighton’s defence were looking good making vital blocks and clearances and although Mlambo found himself 1 on 1 with Kirkwood the oncoming Leighton defender put him off enough to make him shoot straight at Kirkwood.
By halftime Leighton looked good value for their lead against their Hampshire opponents but like the first half Fleet started brightly in the second with a Craig Davis free kick being cleared for a corner. The corner caused a goalmouth scramble that led to a shot being cleared off the line by the Leighton defence with a lot of bodies in the area.

Despite this scare Leighton were still creating chances of their own, Gallant tried an ambitious long shot that Price had to get down quickly to claw out for a corner which was headed wide by Dave Brown.

The visitors were making Leighton work for their lead as another Fleet effort was cleared off the line following a throw in, however the hosts were still in control as substitute Jamal McKenzie-Lowe played in Hatch who would’ve had just Price to beat but the referee Daniel Richardson said it was offside and it was a close call. McKenzie-Lowe was then involved again, Leighton won a free kick on the edge of the area he stepped up to shoot and his effort nearly snuck in the right corner but Price who was having a good game was equal to it again.

To the visitors credit they didn’t give up as White and Mlambo tried to counter but Kirkwood was there like a shot to claim the ball after Mlambo’s touch was too heavy. Mlambo was one of Fleet’s main attacking outlets as he nearly found himself in again but again Kirkwood was equal to him.

Curtis Shaw was Leighton’s second substitute of the game coming on for Isa Bangura and Shaw nearly made it 2-0 to the reds after he ran and dispossessed Price in the 18 yard box but he could only shoot at Price. Shaw was troubling Fleet’s defence as soon as he came on running at them trying to win the ball and when he won the ball he kept driving on and by doing this he had another shot but Price was once again equal to him.

Fleet had one last chance to equalise minutes before the end as chaos in the Leighton 18 yard box led to Fleet hitting the post but Kirkwood eventually got a goal kick and Leighton saw the game to win there first game of the new year.

The win moves them up to 20th leapfrogging Aylesbury United and it was a deserved victory in the end with a resolute defensive performance and some incisive attacking play. Everyone out there for Leighton gave 100% today in an important victory as the Reds face a tough test next week away to 6th placed Royston Town.