BOTT AT THE DOUBLE TO TOPPLE TRAFFORD

The home side started the day in the play-off positions themselves but by the final whistle it was Blues who had replaced them in the top five.

Neil Baker was dealt a blow before kick-off when Dan Trickett-Smith pulled out in the warm-up due to injury and his place was taken by Jordan Johnson.

Leek started well and were ahead in the 7th minute thanks to a howler from Trafford keeper Elliott Wynne.

Wynne mis-kicked an attempted clearance up into the air and as he tried to recover the ball he barged into Aaron Bott and the referee had no hesitation in awarding a penalty.

Bott duly despatched the spot-kick sending the hapless keeper the wrong way to make it 1-0.

Blues high pressing game unsettled the home side who found it difficult to get the ball out of their half and it was another mistake that resulted in the second goal.

Lewis Short launched a long throw into the box from the left. Matty Hughes attempted to head clear, but instead flicked the ball past Wynne and in off the underside of the crossbar.

On the half hour Bott did well winning the ball near the corner flag and made inroads towards goal. but Wynne produced a flying save to push away his shot from a tight angle.

Trafford's frustration at their inablity to produce anything of note in an attacking sense boiled over five minutes before half-time when the home boss made a double tactical substitution.

Any hopes the Manchester side had of a comeback were swiftly ended seven minutes after the break as Blues scored a lovely breakaway goal.

Johnson won the ball in midfield and fed Stevenson on the right, he made strides to the edge of the box and returned the ball to Johnson who then fed Bott who cooly slotted home from 12 yards.

Johnson almost set up Bott for his hat-trick seven minutes later but this time the striker dragged his shot wide of the post.

Trafford's best spell came in the last fifteen minutes and there was contoversy when the referee appeared to award a penalty when what looked a clean tackle by Jack Sanders was adjudged as a foul.

However he changed his mind after consulting with the assistant referee who was on the far side of the pitch and awarded a drop ball instead.

Blues defended well to preserve their clean sheet with Danny Roberts goal remaining relatively untroubled, however as tempers flared and the referree losing control of the game, Town had three players booked in the latter stages.

This was a terrific result for Blues and takes them into Tuesday's match at second placed Radcliffe on a high.

View the match photos here.

Team:

1. Danny Roberts
2. Niall Green
3. Lewis Short
4. Marc Grocott
5. Darren Chadwick
6. Jack Sanders
7. Charlie Walford
8. Billy Reeves
9. Aaron Bott
10. Jordan Johnson (12. Tim Grice, 83)
11. Rob Stevenson

Unused subs: 14. Ben Chapman, 15. Lee Wilshaw, 16. Scott Lycett, 17. Niall Maguire

Yellow cards: Rob Stevenson, Marc Grocott, Jack Sanders

Attendance: 260

Updated 00:20 - 30 Aug 2019 by Steve Reynolds