Blues find their rhythm to chalk up welcome win
Leek Town Ramsbottom Utd
....................... ............ LEEK Town put their recent indifferent form behind them to a record a comfortable 4-0 victory over Ramsbottom United at Harrison Park on Saturday.
After enduring some struggles against lower division opposition in the FA Cup, it appeared Neil Baker’s side found a league game something of a welcome distraction.
Defender Lewis Short made his debut aftrer returning to the club.
Short was signed from Bala Town in the summer, but opted to move to National League North outfit Chorley.
However, after failing to secure regular first-team football, Short opted to return to Harrison Park.
Meanwhile, Charlie Walford returned to the starting eleven and goalkeeper Ben Chapman was preferred in goal to Danny Roberts for his first competitive start of the season.
Blues made a lively start and Tim Grice went close after just two minutes when he flicked Rob Stevenson’s cross into the side-netting.
Chapman’s first piece of action was to pull off a fine save from a close-range header in the 14th minute.
Two minutes later, Blues were in front as Rob Stevenson beat the offside trap to easily lob the ball over Sam Ashton in the Ramsbottom goal.
Moments later it was 2-0 when Dan Trickett-smith broke through the middle advanced into the box and then slipped the ball under Ashton to make it 2-0.
Grice limped off injured just after the half-hour mark after pulling up with a muscle strain to be replaced by Jordan Johnson.
Chapman was in action again in the 36th minute when he did well to push Nathan Brown’s strike over the bar.
Stevenson and Walford both went close just before the break both with shots that went just wide of the post.
After the break Leek took control of the game looking untroubled at the back but without threatening to add to their tally until the 65th minute when Jordan Johnson was first to a long ball and nodded it over Ashton for a rare headed goal.
Eleven minutes later Darren Chadwick slammed home a penalty to wrap things up after Rob Stevenson was rather crudely upended in the box.
Baker will have wanted a clean sheet and that was preserved by Chapman in the 87th minute when he tipped a fierce Tom Brooks effort over the crossbar.
Team: Chapman, Short, Mcwilliams, Grocott,
Lycett, Chadwick, Walford, Hall, Grice (Johnson 33), Trickett-smith (Maguire
80), Stevenson (Thomas
80) Subs: not used; Bailey, Roberts.
Attendance: 257
Man of the Match: Darren Chadwick
Coming up
Tue, Sep 25: Widnes (H) Lge 7.45pm Tue, Oct 2: Market Drayton (A) Lge 7.45pm
Sat, Oct 6: Prescott (H) Lge 3pm
Sat, Oct 20:
Lge 3pm.
Sat, Nov 3: Runcorn Lin (A) Lge 3pm. Kidsgrove (A)
Leading scorers
Dan Trickett-smith 6; Tim Grice 5 (incl 2 pen); Nial Maguire 1; Matt Bailey 1; Rob Stevenson 2; Zeph Thomas (incl 1 pen); Jordan Johnson 1; Darren Chadwick 1 (incl 1 pen). Total 18.