BLUE ON BLUE AS LEEK TOWN WIN AT CLITHEROE

Baker's boys went third in the table following a 1-0 victory at Clitheroe.

Leek Town recorded their third away win in a row in a vital victory against strugglers Clitheroe in deepest Lancashire

On the hottest day of 2019 so far Neil Baker made two changes to the team that won at Glossop last week as he juggled his players - Rio Adebis and Charlie Walford being preferred to Lewis Short and Niall Maguire.

Leek, in their away green strip, started the brighter and quickly got into their passing game despite a very hard and sloping surface. Once again it was Trickett-Smith who was the main creative force creating chances for Leek, he picked out Charlie Walford from the right wing who tamely struck his shot against the keepers legs, the rebound fell to Marc Grocott who fired over. Moments later Trickett-Smith picked out Billy Reeves who did well to control the ball and round the keeper only to strike his shot against the upright as he slipped on the sloping surface.

The Leek faithful did not have to wait long and on 20 minutes Darren Chadwick ghosted into the area from a Trickett-Smith corner and firmly planted his header into the goal - one nil.

The remainder of the first half passed with little to report as Leek controlled the game with Danny Roberts a relative spectator.

The heat had taken its toll on the players and the second half became a scrappy affair mainly being fought in midfield. Stevenson, who had ran tirelessly, latched onto a long ball and beat his man into the area, hitting a low shot across the keeper who could a touch to put out for a corner. Minutes later Walford met a cross from Stevenson with a looping header and the keeper saving.

To protect the lead Baker changed formation and packed midfield, with Maguire, Short and Johnson all providing fresh legs and experience to manage the game out. The referee indicated 4 added minutes and the final whistle was met with rapturous applause from the travelling Leek faithful.

The good news did not stop there as Leek climbed to third as Cole lost to Widnes and Runcorn could only draw at Trafford. With two games left Leek sit in a great position - the next instalment at Harrison Park looks to be a tasty affair against Chasetown.

Team:

1. Danny Roberts
2. Niall Green
3. Rio Adobes
4. Marc Grocott
5. Darren Chadwick (c)
6. Jack Sanders
7. Charlie Walford (14. Niall Maguire, 83)
8. Billy Reeves
9. Aaron Bott (12. Jordan Johnson, 75)
10. Dan Trickett-Smith (15. Lewis Short, 83)
11. Rob Stevenson

Unused subs: 16. Oliver Harrison, 17. Ben Chapman

Cards: Yellow - Walford, 55

Attendance: 296