A solitary goal from striker Louis Potts, his fourth since signing from Clitheroe in December, was enough to give Leek Town a narrow 1-0 victory over Prescot Cables who pushed the Blues all the way and made them work hard for the 3 valuable points.

After the late midweek heartache against Stockton this was a much needed win in a game that looked as if one goal might decide it and, in such a congested Northern Premier League table, allowed Leek to climb up five places to 13th, including leap frogging their opponents and keeping daylight between themselves and the relegation zone.

Naturally, after a long trip and punishing game on Wednesday manager, Josh Brehaut, made a couple of changes to the starting line up. Billy Reeves, Tom Scully and Ollie Shenton all came into the midfield replacing Adam Porter, George Milner and Nathan Okome, the latter change meaning the Blues switched to a back four.

In an evenly matched first half both teams had a chance inside the first ten minutes of the game to gain an early advantage from respective free kicks. On 6mins Tom Curl, who had already had a couple of tussles with Jack Goodwin, was adjudged to have fouled his opponent outside the area just right of centre. Goodwin took the free kick himself and hit a good curling effort only to see Leek goalkeeper Dino Visser pull off an impressive save flying to his right to tip the ball away for a corner, which he followed up with a good punch clear from the resultant delivery.

At the other end Leek’s free kick was to the right of the area and awarded after Liam Buckley was first to Pott’s inside header and was fouled by Scott Butler, returning to the F Ball Community Stadium with his new club after having been on loan at the Blues earlier in the season. Scully’s delivery from the free kick was perfect and presented Liam Edward’s with a free header some 10yards out but the central defender was unable to keep his effort down with it brushing the top of the bar as it flew over.

It was indicative of the game that the chances had come from set pieces as both sides struggled to create much from open play in a fast furious encounter but lacking quality when in possession of the ball. Reeves and Scully were doing well in midfield to break up any Cables moves and pick up the loose ball whilst their counterparts James Devine and James Foley were also protecting the Pesky Bulls defence, often managing to cut out an attempted pass into the feet of Potts and striking partner Hayden Campbell, who was having to drop deeper to try and get into the game.

Leek were having a little bit more success when getting the ball wide to Alex Hurst with the Blues player having the beating of full back Alex McNally but his crosses were being well defended by the Cables centre halves. It was Hurst, however, who created the pressure from which the Blues came closest to taking the lead after half an hour. Winning the ball from McNally who was trying to bring it forward he was able to advance on the Cables defence who were on the back foot for once and find Potts in the area. Although his shot on the turn was well blocked by a recovering defender the ball rebounded to Shenton on the edge of the area and he curled a delightful effort that hit the underside of the bar and bounced down just the wrong side of the line as far as the Leek man was concerned.

Shortly afterwards Prescot had their best opportunity of the half as a flick on found an unmarked Tony Donaldson breaking into the box and his cross shot beat the stretching dive of Visser but was just wide of the post meaning the game remained goalless going into the break.

LEEK TOWN 0 - PRESCOT CABLES 0 HT

It was the visitors who made the slightly better start to the second half with Michael Carberry having a couple of identical half chances resulting from crosses delivered from the Prescot right hand side. His first effort was straight into the arms of Visser whilst his second was well blocked by Buckley behind for a corner. On this occasion Visser fluffed his punched clearance with the ball nearly falling to the feet of a Cables player and a bit of a scramble ensued before Leek eventually hacked it clear.

After this scare Brehaut made a change bringing on Ollie Haywood, back on another loan spell from Chester, for Campbell who was still struggling to make any impression. This meant the Blues switched to a back three with Buckley and Haywood acting as wingbacks and Shenton and Hurst tucking in behind Potts up front.

It had an immediate positive impact with Leek producing one of their best spells of the game as Buckley and Haywood started to bomb forward down each wing. The Pesky Bulls keeper Calvin Hare did well to come out and claim a cross right at the feet of Buckley before Haywood fired in a threatening delivery that just avoided both Potts and Buckley.

The Blues were in the ascendancy and after Hurst was brought down outside the right hand side of the area Hare suddenly went down indicating he needed treatment and immediately all the Prescot players ran over to the bench to receive instructions from the management team. It looked an obvious ploy with the intention of taking the sting out of the game and curtailing Leeks growing momentum but it soon backfired when the Blues scored from the free kick when play restarted.

It didn’t look the best of delivery’s as Scully curled it in low into the box but Potts had got in front of his man to meet the ball and stroke it low inside the left hand post with a good finish to make it 1-0 after 59mins.

Prescot’s reaction was to make a substitution of their own, taking off McNally and bringing on Kyle Sambor up front in an attacking change. One of his first contributions was to produce a dangerous cross come shot as the visitors started to push Leek back and exert some pressure on the Blues defence.

Prescot were seeing more of the ball and pumping it forward at every opportunity but the back three of Curl, Edward’s and Julius Ndene were resolute in their defending and winning their fair share of the aerial battles. Potts and Hurst were doing their best to alleviate the pressure and one storming run from Hurst only ended when he was crudely hacked down by Butler earning the defender a yellow card for his troubles.

Prescot were starting to become a bit more desperate because, despite all of their possession and the balls put into the Leek box, they had yet to create a clear opportunity. The desperation manifested itself when Donaldson threw himself to the floor inside the area and was booked for a simulation.

It was still looking like one of those games where it would be the case of whether Leek could hang onto their narrow lead or not, with memories of the injury time concession at Stockton and also the Matlock home game fresh in the mind.

There was nearly late drama again when with the last kick of the game the ball was launched deep into the area and Visser came to catch the ball but was unable to gather. Fortunately the loose ball was able to be hacked away and the referee subsequently blew the final whistle to the huge relief of the majority of the 551 spectators.

LEEK TOWN 1 - PRESCOT CABLES 0 FT

REPORT BY WINNERS LAD

Match Photo Gallery courtesy of Jim Booth HERE

Match Highlights courtesy of the Rocketman HERE

So a full week to recharge after the exploits of the last week before we undertake the trek to Blyth Spartans. We then return to the F Ball Community Stadium on 15 February against Whitby Town.