What looked on paper to be a tough game against opponents from a league above and moreover pushing hard for promotion to the Conference South League, turned out to be a game where the Yellows looked and played magnificently and from the off took total control of the game. True Oxford City fielded a mixed side of first team, senior and youth players, but nothing can detract from a simply stunning Yellows performance before a crowd in excess of 500 in the showpiece final of the season at the home of Oxford United, the Kassam Stadium on the beautifully prepared pitch so suited to Leigh's passing game.
City keeper Keith McLoughlin knew he was in for a tough evening from the start as in the first 15 mins Kieran Sanders blasted a shot over the bar, the keeper scrambled away a Stuart Hole free kick and he saved a Morgan Williams shot.
Indeed Williams tested the keeper again shortly after and both Sanders and Michael Hopkins were giving their respective defensive markers a torrid time with quality balls into the box just needing a final touch.
The first goal was worthy of the final as Hopkins on 26 mins threaded a ball through to Elliot Osborne-Ricketts who took the ball forward a few paces and from 18 yds hammered a left foot shot into the far corner. A minute later defender Andy Caton up for a corner nearly added to Leigh's lead with a header just wide. For the next 15 mins it was shooting practice for the Yellows as Brian Bowles, Osborne-Ricketts and Sanders tested the keeper. Indeed a Sanders shot on 37 mins was brilliantly saved by the keeper as he got a hand to the ball to deflect it over the bar.
With Sam Warrell and the Leigh defence rarely called into action in the first period, they were nearly caught out just before the break when Dan West after a good run down the right burst into the Leigh box slipped a defender and Tom Franklin did well to block the ball and push it away for a corner.
HT: Oxford City 0 - 1 North Leigh
With Oxford City bringing on two experienced subs at half time, the opening spell was little different to the first half with Leigh pushing for the all important second goal with Hopkins putting in some penetrating crosses and Osborne-Ricketts testing the keeper. Just before Leigh's second goal on 58 mins Mark Bell for City was denied by a smart Warrell save. From a corner on 63 mins the ball bobbed around in the City box and Matt Fessy was unlucky to put through his own net to give Leigh a vital two goal cushion.
With City tiring and the Yellows ever more confident another Hopkins pass was smashed home by Ben Reardon on 80 mins for the third goal. A minute later and City in total disaray James Organ from close range stroked the ball home from a John Mills pass for goal no 4. On 87 mins Mills found time and space in the box to head home Leigh's 5th goal from a pinpoint cross by Hole.
So for the second time in four years North Leigh have added the Oxfordshire Senior Cup to their list of honours with a thoroughly professional and well deserved performance.
FT: Oxford City 0 - 5 North Leigh
North Leigh: Warrell, Hole, Organ, Clark (Burnell 76), Franklin, Caton,
Sanders, Bowles (Reardon 71), Williams (Mills 68), Osborne-Ricketts,
Hopkins Sub not used: Parish
Attendance: 525
More Pictures of the match can be found in the 'Photos' Section of the website.
RSS Feeds
Post A Comment