T’was the night(mare) before Christmas for the many travelling Leek fans as the Blues produced their worst performance of the season so far and suffered their heaviest defeat of the entire calendar year with a 5-1 loss at Rushall Olympic.

It is now just one win in eighteen attempts for Leek against the Pics, who leap frogged above the Blues in the Pitching In Northern Premier League table on goal difference following the scale of the win.

Manager Josh Brehaut made two changes to the side that had exited the FA Trophy at Southport, deciding to freshen up his midfield, with Callum Leigh and Ollie Shenton starting at the expense of Adam Porter and Lucas Weir.

Leek were still missing a couple of important players in striker Louis Potts and goalkeeper Dino Visser but their absence from the side cannot be used as an excuse for such an insipid showing against a Rushall side that out ran, out fought and outplayed them for the majority of the game. Nor could it be blamed on the performance of the referee who made a number of baffling and inconsistent decisions that resulted in both managers being booked for separate protests during the first half.

The home side took the lead in the 12th minute through Nick Clayton-Phillips but the warning signs had already been posted a couple of minutes earlier when no one had picked up the number 10’s run into the box and he had just failed to get on the end of a cross delivered from the right. However in the Pics next attack a high ball forward should have been cut out by Liam Edwards but the centre half misjudged the flight allowing it to sail over him into the path of Clayton-Phillips who had made another timed run that was untracked. The Pics player took one touch and then, with his next, neatly lofted the ball over the stranded Noah Cooper and into the net.

No response came from Leek after going a goal down and Rushall continued to look the better side with Aurio Teixeira and Alex Moore bossing the midfield and full back Carter Lycett proving to be a big problem down the left, finding time and space to get forward time and again to threaten the Blues back line with his crosses and also drawing one save from Cooper.

The second goal came on the half hour mark. After Leek had failed to fully clear a corner and the ball had ping ponged around a bit it was eventually lifted into the area once more and the normally assured Edwards, who was having a half to forget, yanked Jamie Willlets to the ground to concede a penalty. It was taken by McKeal Abdullah who made no mistake in firing low into the net with Cooper going the wrong way.

Up to this point the Blues had not had one shot at the Rushall goal. That was rectified on 32mins but it was only as a result of a free kick, and not from open play, and even then Connor Heath’s effort was comfortable for keeper Jake Davies-Manton.

Rushall were maintaining their high energy and eagerly looking for a third. Tom Curl produced two blocks in quick succession from that man Lycett, who then had another effort deflected just wide in stoppage time at the end of the half.

Leeks half was summed up by an inviting Callum Leigh free kick that was swung right into the danger area of the box but found no Blue shirt attacking it and allowing the ball to run through to Davies-Manton

RUSHALL OLYMPIC 2 - LEEK TOWN 0 HT

Any hopes the Blues supporters had of a storming second half comeback were quickly ended after 51mins when the Pics scored their third goal to seemingly end the game as a contest. A free kick delivered in from the left found Moore unmarked to steer his header past Cooper.

Brehaut immediately made a double substitution, withdrawing Leigh and Owolabi and sending on Lucas Weir and Hayden Campbell. The return of Campbell, and getting over 30mins in his legs after a lengthy lay off, was the one positive that could be taken out of an extremely poor day.

Campbell was busy and showed a lot of neat touches and intelligent play in dropping off the frontline and providing the pivot for some Leek attacking moves, at long last.

It was still an unexpected surprise, however, when the Blues did pull a goal back on 57mins. Campbell was found to the right of the area and held the ball up well before finding support in Weir and Alex Hurst. The ball was eventually delivered in and Heath was able to beat a defender to it to finish from close range.

Out of nowhere Leek had found a bit of impetus and, combined with Rushall coming slightly off the pace perhaps thinking the game was won, the Blues started see more of the play and another good move again involving Campbell opened up a shooting opportunity for Shenton but his low left footed effort lacked power and was easily saved by Davies-Manton.

The Pics goalkeeper then produced the save of the game on 74mins to deny Campbell reducing the arrears to a single goal. A quick Leek break down the right saw Alex Hurst, switched over from the left, deliver a low ball into the box that Heath dummied to allow it to roll onto Campbell some 8yds out but Davies-Manton saved with his feet.

Had that chance had gone in who knows how the rest of the game would have panned out, particularly as Heath had the ball in the net after 84mins after Campbell had flicked on substitute Jordan Hodkins cross onto him, but Heath had strayed half a yard offside and the goal was chalked off.

As it were Rushall started to exploit the gaps being left as Leek pushed forward and their own substitute, Liam McAlinden, became a late crowd pleaser with goals in the 88th and 92nd minutes. His first was a low effort steered past Cooper after being released down the left whilst his second was a powerful shot into the roof of the net after a lovely touch and turn on the edge of the area to reinforce the home sides overall superiority.

RUSHALL OLYMPIC 5 - LEEK TOWN 1 FT

MATCH REPORT BY WINNERS LAD

So a few days to lick the wounds and Christmas Day to enjoy - the Blues are then back on it when they welcome Stocksbridge Park Steels to the F Ball Community Stadium on Boxing Day - Friday 26 December 2025 3pm kick off.

You can buy your tickets ONLINE HERE

Match photos courtesy of Jim Booth HERE