Match Report: Redcar Athletic 3-2 Leek Town

One normal league match...that's all I'm asking for

5 goals, both teams leading, two penalties missed, a hat-trick, scuffles, and bookings. The only thing missing was a red card.

We took on a Leek Town side that had been struggling so far this season, having picked up 6 points from their 8 league fixtures before Saturday.

However, it would be the Blues who started strongest, as early Steelmen possession didn’t trouble the opponent’s, and they would then put the ball in the back of the net in the 11th minute, as a free kick was played into the box and bundled in, though throughout the move someone was judged to have been offside

Things would then quieten down as the half progressed, with an injury-caused Leek substitution in the 22nd minute being the only bit of notable information.

We would start having chances as we approached the half-hour mark, with a ball floated into the box that narrowly missed Andrei and Bosh, before Connor Smith at the back post put his attempt over.

However, Leek would be the side to take the lead, as a corner was whipped in, we couldn’t clear, and they would be able to prod it in at the back post.

Trailing at Green Lane was a rarity, and that rarity would get worse as Leek would grab a second goal just six minutes after their first, as a poor clearance would fall at the feet of their previous goalscorer, and he would lob Mazfari from outside the box, doubling their advantage.

A frustrating scoreline, and the words of Danni Lay echoed around the ground, with our captain stating that “we do not concede again”

Spoiler: We wouldn’t concede again.

We would, however, score, as Curtis would slip a ball forwards to Adam Boyes moments before the break, and the striker would place a shot into the bottom corner.

We would nearly bag another in the added time, as Boyes again would find himself through on goal, but his attempt was dealt with by Leek’s defence.

That would mean we entered the break a goal down, but, as is the case with us so far this season, we always seem to score more in the second half

We would bring on Louis Johnson and Ciaran Banks for Andrei and Connor, and we would score almost straight from kick-off, as Louis would control the ball and lay a pass off, with the ball finding its way out to Nathan Guru on the right, who would float a cross in that missed Owen Burns, but would be acrobatically kicked into the net by Boyes, for both his and our second of the match.

There would be a few fouls in the 50th minute that would see JJ Bartliff, Danny Rowe, and Louis Johnson all get booked, but JJ would proceed to then respond with an audacious strike from outside the box that narrowly went over the crossbar.

There would be chances for both sides in the following minutes, though the nearest saw a Leek attacker put a shot out for a throw-in following an interception outside the box.

There would be one more goal in this match though, as in the 74th minute Ciaran Banks would launch a long ball over the top of everyone, and it would fall into the path of Boyes who…well you can probably guess what he did.

If you can’t, then he controlled the ball, took it towards goal, had a shot deflected back into his path, and proceeded to latch onto the rebound, go past the Leek Town goalie, and ultimately bag his hat-trick, and our third of the game.

From 2-0 down to 3-2 up, and with 15 minutes to play, there was time for more!

More looked likely too, as we won a penalty in the 78th minute when Curtis Round was hauled to the floor, with little hesitation from the ref.

The spot kick would be drilled low by Banks, but Leek’s goalkeeper would be able to smother the attempt and keep their deficit at just one goal.

In what would turn out to be a chaotic ten minutes, Leek would go up the other end and win a penalty of their own, as Danni Lay tried to intercept the ball but also took out the Leek attacker too, with the ref again not hesitating with his decision.

Luckily for us, Leek would miss their penalty too, as another drilled effort would this time be stopped by Mazfari, who got down quickly to push the attempt away

Things would quieten down after that, and a few chances for recently brought on Luke Spalding would come and go, though the winger was unfortunate not to bag any, and the full-time whistle would sound

Winners again, and it means we have gone a year unbeaten at Green Lane!

Up next is an FA Cup tie against Macclesfield, at our place, before a midweek trip to Cleethorpes (unless there’s a replay), and then a short trek to Guisborough in the FA Trophy

Lineups:

Redcar Athletic: Mazfari, Guru, Round [Spalding, 79′], Bartliff, Rowe, Lay (C), Smith [Banks, 46′], Hawkins, Boyes, Burns [Parkinson, 84′], Ardelean [Johnson, 46′]

Unused subs: Bailey

Leek Town: Misciur, Buckley [Shenton, 89′], Heywood, Hockenhull, Edwards [Bickerton, 22′], Towns [Emmerson, 79′], Griffiths [Hurst, 73′], Reeves (C), Panter, Campbell, Weir

Unused subs: Friars