Leek Town put in a determined and disciplined performance to overcome higher league opponents Scarborough Athletic to cause an upset in a closely fought cup tie in front of 491 entertained spectators.

Louis Potts composed finish on 62mins, combined with defensive resilience, was enough for Leek to extend the Seadogs dismal run without a win in the FA Trophy to 13 seasons.

It was true that Scarborough were missing their top striker, and were depleted enough to be only able to name 3 substitutes so maybe it was a good time to be playing them but that should take nothing away from the achievement of Josh Brehaut’s side who were still facing quality opposition riding high in the National League North.

The Leek manager unsurprisingly kept the same team who had done so well to beat Ashton United previously, with the exception of one forced change. Jack Griffiths was unavailable, and so Callum Leigh was handed his first full home debut and, like his team mates, would go on to have a storming performance to follow on to that of Claudia the previous day

After the opening exchanges in which the Seadogs tried to impose their physicality with some biting challenges and a demonstration of the dark arts with subtle shirt pulls the Blues were denied what looked to be a clear penalty on 6mins. Alex Hurst got goal side of his full back marker Kieran Weledji to receive a flicked header from Potts and when Weledji tried to recover his ground and position he caught Hurst with his challenge and the two tumbled to the floor. To the home fans amazement the e referee waved play on even though there was no reason for Hurst to go to ground as he was clear and well placed for a shot at goal.

After this lucky escape Scarborough settled into the game and began to demonstrate what a good side they were with some slick and assured passing. They may have been missing their main striker but the front 3 of Luca Colville, Zane Myers and Rio Allan were looking extremely lively with impressive movement and interchanging of positions whilst, behind them, midfielders Alex Purver and Jack Waldron were picking up all the loose pieces and Leek clearances to retain possession for the visitors.

The Blues defence were having to fully concentrate and work extremely hard to hold their positions and cope with the probing of the Seadogs and had done well to restrict their opponents to one chance in the first 15mins when Allan lobbed the ball over Dino Visser into the net but had long been flagged for offside.

It was inevitable, however, that the chances for Scarborough would eventually come such was their territorial advantage and way they had taken a bit of a stranglehold of the game.

Myers had the first effort on goal from either side on 16 mins after cutting. In from the right to whip in a left footed effort but it lacked any real sting and was an easy gather for Visser. Moments later an opportunity opened up when Colville dispossessed Tom Curl to advance into the area and square the ball to Allan but he side footed wide of Vissers left hand post.

Colville came the closest to opening the scoring for the Seadogs after 25mins when Liam Buckleys block from a low driven cross into the box fell to the Scarborough man who’s shot hit the base of the post.

The Blues were looking hard pressed in repelling the attacks with Visser keeping out an effort from Theo Chapman with a good save at his near post and another driven shot being deflected wide as the visitors forced 4 corners in about the same space of time.

It was from the last of these, however, that Leek were able to launch a counterattack on 30mins when Hurst was first to the ball to nod it onto Tunde Owolabi who then carried the ball half the length of the pitch. Reaching the edge of the area he struck a powerful low shot across Ryan Whitley towards the far corner but the Seadogs did superbly well to get down and get a touch to the shot to send it just wide of the post.

It signalled a more even period of play up to the break with Leek beginning to come to terms with their opponents and the Blues won a couple of corners of their own, one of which involved Owolabi battling away and coming out on top against 3 aggressive defenders?

Bookings were also exchanged with Billy Reeves yellow carded for preventing Scarborough taking a quick free kick whilst Jake Hull was cautioned for a foul on Potts, the two of whom were having a right old battle.

The half ended with Scarborough beginning to exert their authority once more with Liam Edwards putting his body on the line to block from Chapman whilst Myers tried another effort with his left foot but saw a duplication of his earlier effort with Visser saving comfortably to ensure the sides went in level at the break

LEEK TOWN 0 - SCARBOROUGH ATHLETIC 0 HT

Leek started the second half brightly and the lanky Hull had to use the full stretch of his long legs to poke the ball away from Owolabi as the striker looked to get on the end of a pass in the area and Whitley using his own height to claim a Hurst cross off the head of Lucas Weir.

The Seadogs manager, Jonathan Greening, was booked along with Potts after the two had come together when Greening had prevented Potts from taking a quick throw right by the Scarborough dugout.

By this time Leek had been forced into a substitution with Buckley limping off to be replaced by Julius NDene and the Blues switching to a back four with Olly Heywood moving over from one of the three central defenders to full back. It was a move that was to prove beneficial on 62mins when the Blues won back possession just inside the Scarborough half and Hurst was able to slip a pass to Heywood who was now overlapping from the full back position.

Heywood delivered a good low ball into the area and found Potts who was unmarked and had all the time and space to calmly shift the ball from his right to left foot and finish with precision beyond Whitley before racing away to the corner flag to celebrate the opening goal.

Greening immediately made a substitution, replacing Chapman with Rocco Coyle, as the Seadogs looked to hit back straightaway and pushed more men forward An attack down the left provided a shooting opportunity for Alex Brown but he lashed it wide of Vissers near post when more composure was required whilst Purver also drove well over the bar from the edge of the area after the ball had been laid back to him.

Those efforts were actually symptomatic of the visitors play as the second half wore on. Leek were defending superbly and not allowing their opponents any clear opportunities despite all of the possession and therefore the Seadogs attacks often ended with either snatched efforts and desperate long range attempts.

It was actually the Blues that created the better chances on the counterattack, taking advantage of the extra space afforded by Scarborough committing more men forward.

A rapid break on 69mins saw Potts win the ball to find Owolabi who immediately fed it on to Hurst flying down the left. He cut in and squared the ball to Leigh but his first time effort was sliced wide whilst a take from a Scarborough cross and superbly accurate long throw out by Visser set Owolabi free to run at the Seadogs defence with Will Thornton producing an important block inside the area.

The visitors frustration was growing with Myers being booked for dissent and Thornton seeing yellow for a crude challenge on Curl who was making one of a number of late lung bursting runs from the back. The resultant fee kick was only half cleared to Hurst on the edge of the area and he fizzed a low drive just past the post.

Potts and Owolabi who had got through so much work themselves were withdrawn for Connor Heath and Ollie Shenton and the two subs combined to come close to doubling the Blues advantage.

Shenton picked up the ball on the right midway in the Leek half and turned neatly to avoid his man before playing an exquisite ball with the outside of his left foot down the channel into the path of Heath who had gotten beyond his defender. The substitute took the ball on into the area but Whitley came out and spread himself well so that the ball hit his chest and out for a corner.

The Seadogs keeper produced something even better on 90mins to keep his side in the tie. It came when Curl again broke forward down the right before finding Shenton. He moved the ball onto Weir who’s shot took a slight deflection and looked to be heading into the top corner before Whitley somehow managed to get a finger tip on it flying to his right or a fantastic save

It meant Scarborough still had hope of taking the match to penalties if they could find the equaliser in the five minutes added on time. But Leeks heroic resistance would not be beaten with Haywood denying Allan by a timely challenge and NDene and Edwards heading clear from threatening crosses.

Right at the death there was final volleyed chance for Myers but, like so many of the Seadogs efforts it flew over Vissers bar to the cheers of the home crowd who could celebrate a notable victory for their side.

LEEK TOWN 1 - SCARBOROUGH ATHLETIC 0 FT

REPORT BY WINNERS LAD

So an historic win for the Blues as the enter the 3rd Round of the FA Trophy for only the 4th time in their history - the draw is on Talksport2 live at 3:15pm. We return to league action next week with an away trip to Whitby Town and then Workington AFC the following week at home, which is Saturday 29 November 2025.

Media Gallery Courtesy of Jim Booth - HERE