The first 15 minutes of this game were fairly evenly matched, it was clear from the start that both teams wanted to get the ball down and play football.
As the half wore on North Leigh began to increase the pressure, a free kick from the edge of the box was fired narrowly wide by Mason Muckleburg.
Good work from Lewis De’ath down the right wing, released Shay Kelly who raced past the defender and then misjudged his approach with just the Ardington keeper to beat, who came out and appeared to collide with Shay, but no foul.
After 20 minutes North Leigh got the break-through that appeared to be coming, good movement from Shay Kelly in the box created the space for Lewis De’ath to charge in to the box from his good run down the wing and fire the ball in for 1 – 0 to North Leigh.
Just a few minutes later Corey Donahoe bringing the ball forward from left back, overlaps and fires in a good cross that finds Elliot Barton shoots, but it’s blocked and falls for Shay to try his luck, this rebounds out to Lewis De’ath who finds the corner with a fine strike for his and North Leighs second, 2 – 0 Noth Leigh.
As the first half drew to a close there was time left for Charlie Cassidy to show good strength and control holding it up and giving Shay Kelly a through ball to race on to, which he just beatthe keeper to it and slotted it in for 3 – 0 to North Leigh at half time.
Ardington tried to get back in to the game atthe start of the second half, some early pressure led to a free kick which was headed just over. After just 6 minutes of the second half North Leigh made went further ahead, good work from Charlie coming quite deep to collectthe ball turn and find Lewis De’ath in space on the right wing, who surged down the touch line, then knocked it inside, when most were expecting a cross, he hit a lobbedshotwhich went overthe keeper and dipped below the cross bar, to complete his hat-trick in some style, 4 – 0 North Leigh.
Just two minutes later, Charlie Cassidy again showing good control and composure on the ball, found ElliotBarton on the leftflank, who drove to the byline, cut back around the right full back and lashed in a fierce shot from a narrow angle that cannoned in to the far top corner, for 5 – 0 North Leigh.
With the result looking comfortable, the North Leigh team began to lose a little concentration, and gave away a penalty, which Ardington’s Jake Denton converted, giving the NL keeper no chance, to make it 5 – 1.
Shay Kelly created by could not convert a couple more chances and towards the end the North Leigh subs got a run out, as the result was not at risk. An unfortunate incident virtually at the end of the match, saw both teams reduced to 10 men, but this was a small blot on an otherwise very convincing victory and fine performance from the North Leigh team, against last season’s champions.
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