WHITES BEAT BLUES IN PENALTY SHOOTOUT

Leek Town found themselves with a comfortable 2-0 lead with 15 minutes to go but conspired to draw and lose 5-4 on penalties. The game really should have been out of sight by then but a plucky Widnes never gave up and pulled themselves back into the game.

Neil Baker fielded a much changed side from the recent games at Kidsgrove & Sheffield, to give valuable minutes to some players who had recently been limited to appearances from the bench.

The games started quite evenly with a possession being given up on midfield by both sides, as early as the 9th minute a mistake from the Widnes defence provided Bott with a one on one opportunity with Scott saving. This gave Leek the impetus and several times Hurd and Twyford played the ball through from midfield to find Bott but a goal did not come. On 26 minutes a free kick delivered by Hurd was challenged in the air by Baker, the ball fell to Thorpe whose whose shot went over the bar. On 29 minutes the tricky Twyford played Bott in again, who was making a habit of beating the Widnes defence, but the ball was too long. In a rare attack for Widnes, Adetiloye tried his luck from distance with ball bouncing in front of Cortes-Smith who pushed the shot around the post, the resulting corner was defended by Leek.

On 34 minutes a cross field ball from Holden was cut out by the advancing Twyford who raced through and slotted the ball past the advancing Scott. The next 10 minutes was a good spell for the Blues with Twyford electing to shoot when he perhaps should have passed to Bott and Thorpes downward header from a corner bouncing over the bar.

HT Leek Town 1 - Widnes 0

Leek continued their passing game in the second half with some neat interplay with Twyford, Walford and Hurd, this created several half chances. The second goal came on 61 minutes when Hurd intercepted the ball and delivered a square pass to Twyford who made no mistake to score his second of the night. With a 2 goal lead Leek should have seen the game out and Neil Baker introduced Matt Bell into the game who was returning from injury. Uncharacteristically he was caught in possession at the edge of the Leek box and Ben Hodkinson pulled a goal back for the Whites.

Leek nearly restored their two goal lead on 73 mintues when Chris Baker fed Bott, his shot narrowly wide when perhaps he should have scored. Leek continued to press but this was also creating more chances and opportunities for Widnes who had now got impetus and were finding spaces in the Leek defence, on 88 minutes good work from Steele produced a gilt edge chance which was spurned by Murray. Almost immediately another chance was created by Leek when Walford produced a great cross for Bott whose header was saved by the keeper. the game was now end to end and right at the death a long ball into the Leek penalty area was not cleared by Williamson and the ball fell to Murray who draw Widnes level right at the death.

The game went straight to penalties with the lead ebbing and flowing between both teams, the game was eventually decided 5-4 after Matthew Balls final penalty for Leek was saved.

So an experimental eleven for Leek got themselves into a great winning position but poor finishing and a couple of mistakes meant the game went to penalties, with Leek eventually losing. Exiting the much maligned Integro Cup at this stage may or may not be a blessing for the Blues, only time will tell.

FT Leek Town 2 - Widnes 2, Widnes progress 5-4 on penalties

Report by Jon Eeles

Leek Town line up as follows

1. Cortes-Smith
2. Goode
3. Williamson
4. Wakefield
5. Thorpe
6. Keenan
7. Baker replaced by Ball (80)
8. Walford
9. Bott
10. Twyford
11. Hurd replaced by Bell (72)

Substitutes : Stevenson, Groott, Chapman (Unused)
Attendance 123