Leek Town suffer big dose of the Blues at Cleethorpes
Betvictor South East Cleethorpes Town Leek Town
........... ....................... LEEK Town’s 100 per cent start to the season came to an end with a narrow and disappointing defeat at Cleethorpes.
Blues had made the ideal start with a goal from Rob Stevenson after 12 minutes, but Cleethorpes secured the points with goals from Scott Vernon on 43 minutes and Brody Robertson on 78 minutes.
Manager Neil Baker made two changes to the side which defeated Ilkeston in midweek.
Jesse Bavanganga replaced the injured Joshua Agbozo at full-back and Chris Baker returned from his dead-leg to replace Lewis Short, another injury absentee.
The game got off to a lowkey start with the first action of any note coming after four mins. Cleethorpes won their first corner and as the ball was cleared to the edge of the area Jack Richardson volleyed the ball over the bar.
Leek took the lead after 12 minutes with their first meaningful attack of the game, finally getting the ball down and passing it through the midfield.
The build-up commenced on the right and then the ball was worked over to the left and played to Stevenson. He showed both skill and strength to turn Tim Lowe and cut in before letting fly from 22 yards with a low shot that whistled past the outstretched dive of Richardson in the Owls goal.
Cleethorpes had a great chance to equalise straight from the restart. Following a blocked shot on the edge of the area the ball looped to an unmarked Lewis Collins in the penalty area, but he failed to connect properly and his effort harmlessly bounced into the hands of goalkeeper Danny Roberts.
The Cleethorpes fans were howling for a penalty after 20 minutes after one of the forwards tumbled to the floor when trying to get on the end of one of these crosses.
Leek were forced into a change on 26 minutes when they suffered another injury, with Bavanganga pulling up and having to be replaced by Harry Goode.
The game became a bit stopstart after that with little action to speak off and it looked as if Leek would make it to the break with their lead intact after a solid defensive display.
But it was not to be and Cleethorpes netted the equaliser in the 43rd minute which their territorial superiority and possession probably merited.
Cleethorpes won a soft freekick that the referee awarded an unusually long time after initially playing an advantage. Having dealt with the initial cross Leek then failed to clear their lines and the ball found its way to Vernon who was able to lift a right-foot shot over the reach of an outstretched Roberts.
The second half began by following the pattern of the first with Cleethorpes pressing and Leek struggling to get any cohesion in their play, conceding possession far too easily.
In the 57th minute Blues lost their second player of the match as Stevenson departed the action holding his lower back. A big loss given his performance up to that point. Ethan Stanton came on and slotted into the centre of midfield with Josh Twyford pushing up to partner Tim Grice as Leek switched to a 4-4-2 to try to shore up midfield.
Leek broke with Twyford and Chris Baker interchanging passes down the right. The first-time cross from Twyford reached Grice some 14 yards out and he was able to turn the centre-half but agonisingly just lifted his effort a foot over the bar.
With the extra man in midfield, slowly but surely Leek started to see a little bit more of the ball and for the next 10-15 minutes had their best period of the game and were unlucky in not taking the lead after 72 minutes. When a the corner came in it found its way to an unmarked Baker who connected with an half-volley but his effort was headed off the line.
The ball was quickly recycled and crossed in and Olly Harrison met the ball well but his header was a yard over the crossbar.
The Blues were to rue those chances some five minutes later.
After being second best for long periods of the game it was ironic that the second goal was conceded when Leek were having their best spell and looking as if they would earn a hard fought point.
In the 78th minute Baker gave away possession in the Cleethorpes half and a long ball over the top was hit forward beyond Darren Chadwick which Robertson ran onto and was able to slip the ball under Roberts to make it 2-1 to Cleethorpes.