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News Story: Town Relegated after Hard Fought Season
Leighton Town today met their fate as they found out they were to be relegated to a lower level.
The Leighton Buzzard side, which played in the Evo-Stik Southern League Division One Central, ended the season on 35 points leaving them second from bottom in the league.
The club was established 131 years ago and they were one of the original members of the South Midland’s League in 1922.
This season they struggled to maintain good form, losing against those at the bottom of the table where points could have easily been picked up.
Iain McGregor, interim Chairman of Leighton Town said, “We played reasonably well on occasions especially against sides that were at the top end of the table.”
A big problem for Leighton this season was their budget, McGregor said, “We chose not to increase the budget to try to ‘ save ‘ us. To be able to afford a higher budget we need to bring in more income, sadly people do not come to matches when we are not being successful.”
Supporters of the club are not surprised by the relegation after manager Mark Eaton was asked to leave after three months.
The club made the decision to appoint Stuart Murray as first team manager for the rest of the season.
Andy Griggs said, “He was out of his depth, he’s a bad communicator and his decisions baffled me. We need a new manager next season, but you need a budget for that and where do we find that?
Barry Gallant agreed saying, “Several of the players are not good enough at this level and Stuart lost key players at the wrong time. He is tactically clueless; there are so many areas that wouldn’t have taken much to correct to have gained a few more points.”
Looking forward to next season the supporters hope that their local side can work their way back up the non-league pyramid.
Keith Clarke said, “We need a more experienced manager next season and we need try and keep some of the squad to help us remain in the top half of the league to try and get promoted.”
The Football Association (FA) is yet to announce which league Leighton will play in next season or whether they will receive a reprieve.
Here is a podcast on the supporters feelings about Leighton’s relegation this season.
Podcast: Town Relegated after Hard Fought Season
This podcast is linked to my news story about Leighton Town’s relegation this season, if you’d like to read the news story you can find it here.
Credits: Music by BoxCat Games- Epic Song
Vlog: Should Grass Roots Football Receive more Money from the Football Association (FA)?
This vlog is linked to my feature about the money needed in non-league and grass roots football, if you’d like to read the full feature you can find it here.
Leighton Come Out on Top in Bottom of the League Clash
Goals from James Hatch, Aaron McKee and Lewis McBride ensured Leighton won all three points last night, against bottom of the league North Greenford United.
Greenford kicked off with ten men, as some of their players were still making their way to the ground but Leighton weren’t able to take advantage of this.
In the 9th minute George Moore managed to beat Craig Maisiri and Hatch to find the back of the net.
The away side’s eleventh player, Charlie Conner, turned up 16 minutes late. Leighton took this in their stride as they equalised seven minutes later, when Hatch headed the ball home from McBride’s corner.
Matt Hewitt went down injured in the 30th minute and was substituted off and replaced by Josh Murray.
McKee got his head to the ball in the 36th minute from a corner to put Leighton into the lead.
The Blues made their first substitution just before half time bringing off Charlie Mitchell for Alfie Patterson.
Conner came close for the away side in the 54th minute but his shot went just wide of the post.
Another corner for Leighton 10 minutes into the second half could have extended their lead, but Hatch headed the ball over the bar.
Danny Bennell was shown a yellow card after a bad tackle on McBride in the 66th minute. Two minutes later half the floodlights failed and play was paused until the power was restored.
The Reds made a double substitution in the 71st minute replacing Kerran Birch and Aaron McKee with Curtis Shaw and Lorenzo Green.
Leighton got their third goal of the game when McBride skilfully made his way past Lewis Todd and the Greenford defence.
The away side were quick to respond and two minutes later Moore got his second of the game, making it 3-2.
Moore tried to get a hat trick in the 89th minute but Bradley Kirkwood easily stopped his low shot.
Todd was given a straight red just before the final whistle as he took down Shaw. Alfie Cain took on the role as keeper and Ben Gallant stepped up to take the free kick. Cain made a magnificent save to deny Leighton of a fourth goal.
Leighton’s last game of the season is away to Chalfont St. Peter on Saturday 23rd April kick off 3pm.
Photo’s and video’s from tonight’s game
North Greenford United
Team- Todd, Addae, Mitchell, Sangolo, Bennell, Yorke, Costa, McAlinden, Moore, Conner, Cain
Subs- Patterson, Pither, Gradwell, Yala
Leighton Town
Team- Kirkwood, Hewitt, Ibeto, Nyama, Maisiri, Hatch, Brooks, McKee, Birch, Gallant, McBride
Subs- Murray, Woodfine, Green, Brown, Shaw
Attendance- 76
The Season has come to an End
So tomorrow for me the season is over, however for Leighton Town it finishes on Saturday 23rd April. I was going to be watching a different team tomorrow, however after Leighton’s fixture was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch last Saturday, the game got re-arranged for the same evening.
Looking ahead to tomorrow evening the two teams at the bottom of league face each other. North Greenford cannot do anything to avoid relegation, however last season they were granted a reprieve from relegation, after the league reshuffled the teams in each division.
The team sat in 20th, Hanwell, if they lose tomorrow and Leighton win, Hanwell will drop below the relegation zone, but the deciding game for both teams is on Saturday when one of them will be relegated.
So it’s all still to play for, for Leighton with only two games left this season they might make it or they might not. If they drop down a league there will be a lot more travelling, but the team and management might find the level of football more appropriate. If they stay in the Evo-Stik Division One Central league they will continue to struggle without the correct management and funds.
If anyone is interested in attending tomorrow evening’s game, which kicks off at 7:45pm the address, is as follows:
Bell Close
Lake Street
Leighton Buzzard
Bedfordshire
LU7 1RX
Rain Stops Play
So unfortunatley due to the disastrous weather we had this morning the game I was going to attend was postponed after a pitch inspection was carried out at 11:45am. Luckily my break at work was at 12:30pm so I was able to find out what was going on before finishing work at 3pm and heading the ground.
The fixture has quickly been re-arranged and is now due to be played on Thursday 21st April, however I had already planned to go and watch a different team that day, but if this weather continues that game might also be postponed because they are in a lower league than Leighton.
I will just have to keep my eyes on Twitter for pitch inspection announcements and pray that the weather stays fine for the next few days, then it will be the last game of the season for me and only a few more blog posts to go until my assignment due date.
Penultimate Game
Tomorrow will be my last but one game as the season finally draws to a close. I’ll be heading to watch the second half of Leighton Town vs North Greenford at Bell Close. Once again I can’t make the first half due to work commitments, hopefully one day I wont have to work weekends.
My Dad will be taking notes on the first half, last time he actually did pretty well. However understanding his spidery writing was difficult and it took me twice as long to actually write the match report.
If anyone is interested in attending the match it will be at the following address, kick off 3pm:
Bell Close
Lake Street
Leighton Buzzard
Bedfordshire
LU7 1RX
One Point Each for the Local Derby
Aylesbury FC could only draw with their rivals Aylesbury United with goals from Gareth Price and Ben Bateman, maintaining their lead until just before the final whistle. United goals from Stacey Field and Sonny French secured them a point.
The Moles kicked off looking strong with Gareth Price having a shot on target but it was easily saved by Zaki Oualah.
Daniel Murphy came close to putting the home side in the lead in the 8th minute but the ball was punched clear. However only as far as Brian Haule, who’s shot was then saved by the foot of Oualah.
It wasn’t long before Aylesbury FC got the goal they were looking for. In the 16th minute a free kick by Murphy fell to the feet of Price who fired the ball home into the top corner of the net.
Nine minutes later the Ducks drew level when Field found the back of the net. Chris Crook was shown a yellow card in the 30th minute after a foul on Price.
United could have taken the lead in the 34th minute but Field’s shot went just wide of the post. They came close again in the 42nd minute but Jack Wood’s header went over the bar.
Just before half time, United failed to clear the ball away from a corner. The ball fell to Bateman who slotted it passed numerous defenders to make it 2-1.
In the second half Vinnie Shrieves came close for the Ducks hitting post denying them of an equaliser.
The away side were determined to score; Field shot wide when a miskick from James Weatherill landed at his feet and then Shrives headed it over the bar moments later.
United came close to drawing level when Crook crossed the ball to Field but his attempt hit the post.
With 90 minutes on the clock the Ducks managed to equalise. Reece Cameron found French on the edge of the box and he fired the ball into the back of the net.
Just before the final whistle Ben Stevens was shown a yellow card after he fouled Jack Beech.
The next game I’ll be attending is on Saturday 16th April, Leighton Town vs North Greenford United, kick off 3pm.
Photo’s and video’s from tonight’s game
Aylesbury United
Team- Oualah, Coulter, Bewley, Wood, Crook, French, Brito, Williams, Shrieves, Field, Cameron
Subs- Brown, Rajaram, Pounds, Beech, Jesson
Aylesbury FC
Team- Weatherill, Tomlin, Murphy, D.Haule, Anthony, Stevens, Price, Bateman, B. Haule, Schmidt, A.Goss
Subs- L.Goss, Gordon, Rudd, Pitfield, Logie
Attendance- 238
Non-League Football Through a Female's Eyes 