North Leigh 2 (Hope 79, McCabe 90)
Gosport Boro 1 (O’Neill 57)
LATE goals from Liam Hope and Andy McCabe secured North Leigh all three points in Division 1 South & West.
After undeservedly falling behind, superb strikes from Hope and McCabe, in stoppage time, capped a tremendous fightback.
In a goalless first half, Hope was denied by Gosport keeper Nick Hutchings, while Karl Dodds and Chris Allen had efforts just off target.
The deadlock was broken in a minute of controversy before the hour when Joe Burnell was hauled down inside the area.
But the referee waved away the protests, and to rub salt into the wounds, Gosport broke to score with Lloyd O’Neill lashing home a rising shot from 12 yards past keeper Lee Farrow.
Hutchings saved superbly to deny Allen, while Burnell and Jordan Parker headed over, and it looked like it was not to be North Leigh’s day.
But with 11 minutes left, Allen found Hope, who drilled home from 30 yards, and the comeback was complete when Hope’s pinpoint cross picked out McCabe to headed home.
North Leigh: Farrow, Weedon, Futcher, Hole, Huxley, Dodds (Helby 52), Burnell (Jackson 90), Parker (Reardon 85), Hope, McCabe, Allen. Subs not used: Sadler, Merriman.
Attendance: 74.
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