The defeat left Leek manager Wayne Johnson a frustrated man as his under-performing side turned in an unconvincing performance against a determined Vics outfit.

Indeed the score could have been much more embarrassing but for the intervention of John Ritchie who pulled off three top class saves after Vics had taken an early lead.

Dan Cope levelled the scores shortly before the break but Blues huffed and puffed their way through the second half before falling at the final hurdle.

Blues have now conceded 14 goals in four pre-season friendlies to date whilst at the other end they have only managed to net once in each game leaving Johnson to intensify his search for players in key areas throughout his squad as the new season fast approaches.

Leek were the first to show in the opening minute when Wayne Corden set up Matt Johnson who fired inches wide of the upright from 25 yards out.

However, Biddulph took the lead 10 minutes later when Dan Smith crossed into the box where Steve Day turned past Matt Bradbury to place the ball wide of Ritchie’s despairing dive.

Leek responded with Ashley Miller going close but he dragged his shot wide after rounding a defender.

In the 15th minute, Ritchie came to Leek’s rescue when he brilliantly saved to deny former Blues’ striker Jamie Marrow in a one-on-one situation.

Then, just a minute later, he had to be at his best to get a hand on Day’s fierce shot with Andy Taylor completing the clearance.

Biddulph kept up the pressure and in the 21st minute Marrow knocked a ball down for Day but his block-buster was instinctively punched wide for a corner by Ritchie.

When the flag-kick came in, Ritchie cleared with another punch but only as far as Chris Baker on the edge of the box where the ball took a bad bounce and his shot was charged down.

Corden had a good shot cleared from the box as Blues tried to get back on level terms and then they had a Leon Ashman goal ruled out for an alleged foul on the keeper.

In the 29th minute Cope set up Corden who raced into the box but his resulting shot was cleared off the line for a corner.

Seven minutes later Ashman rose highest in the Biddulph box but the striker headed wide of the target.

Blues eventually levelled the scores 3 minutes from the break when Ashman played the ball wide to Matt Johnson whose cross took a deflection and Cope rose to loop a header inside the back post.

Two minutes into the second half Cope tried an overhead kick after good work by M Johnson and Paul Taylor but the effort was cleared and then Corden wriggled his way into the box to work himself an opening but his shot curled inches wide of the far post.

In the 72nd minutes the home side almost netted an own goal when Ben Clarkson only just cleared the crossbar attempting to clear a dangerous cross to the back post.

Leek came close to taking the lead when Matt Gilman won the ball in the box but Joe Woolliscroft’s shot took a deflection into the keeper’s arms.

Blues enjoyed a lot of possession in the closing stages however, with just a minute remaining on the clock, Biddulph conjured up the winner when the ball was worked wide to substitute Hadzik and he blasted home a 25-yard angled shot inside the far post.

Biddulph: Heeps, Smith, Clarkson, Chadwick, Ellis, Burge, Baker, Barlow, Marrow, Day, Hamilton. Subs: Hadzik, Goodwin, Hughes, Skellern, Mountford, Conteh, Kirkbride,

Leek: Ritchie, Shenton, P Taylor, A Taylor, Bradbury, M Johnson, Brannan, Miller, Ashman, Cope, Corden. Subs: P Johnson, Finney, Woolliscroft, Robinson, Gillman.

Att: n/k

Final Score: Biddulph Victoria 2-1 Leek Town