Leabrooks Stun Somersall
Leabrooks signed off in their debut season with an emphatic 9-3 Victory. (Thats right 9-3, not 10-3 sshhhh)
The season ended too soon for Leabrooks just as they hit good form in the league with some real gutsy displays in recent weeks against some good Teams.
With a number of 1st Team regulars missing including Selby, Hollis and Keely, it was a chance for Jack Stoppard and Lewis Radford to impress the manager.
Manager Mick Leighton had to shuffle the pack with Radford making his second consecutive appearance in Goal, Parkin in defence along side Scarfe and Stoppard partnering Spensley in attack.
The midfield spots were filled by Boyle and Ozdemir with Jani Hleb Wain as the sole substitute.
From the off it was all Leabrooks that dominated possession, It took only 4 minutes for Leabrooks to notch number 1, A low driven corner by Ozdemir from the right deflected off a defender for an own goal 0 - 1.
It was a corner again from the right that provided Ozdemir his first of the game, The original corner was taken only to be cleared back out, but the 3rd corner was hit with pace and curl and went directly in at the front post, 0 - 2.
Leabrooks had many more chances ass they piled forwards, pushing up at all times with Scarfe and Parkin clearing their lines well.
But on 17 minutes against the run of play Somersall hit back with a great long range strike to bring the score to 1-2, But as half time approached it was the hard working Jack Stoppard who had the last laugh as he drove a powerful shot low into the goal from outside the penalty box to the applause of joyful crowd, 1-3.
HALF TIME, Somersall 1 – 3 Leabrooks Panthers.
After The Half time Team talk the players came out even more determined to enjoy the afternoon but that was short lived as Somersall snatched another good goal to bring the game back to 2-3 on 22 Minutes.
But that was short lived as Leabrooks moved up a gear, A quick fire double from Boyle (24) and Ozdemir (27) put the Panthers firmly back in control at 2 – 5.
This was the turning point for both sides, Somersall deflated and Panthers energised; the flood gates opened and confidence ran through the Team with some good passing football.
Another quick fire double by Morgan Boyle (29 & 31) completed his hat-trick to take the game to 2 – 7, now out of reach of a Somersall Team chasing shadows.
The Team linked well, and looked balanced – Radford in goal with some good handling, Parkin buzzing around in defence complementing the sweeping of Scarfe.
The energy and drive of the two competitive midfielders of Boyle and Ozdemir, and the busy running and movement of Stoppard and Spensley.
On 30 minutes Leabrooks made a substitution as Hleb Wain replaced Stoppard, what an effort by the busy little striker who never stopped running all game, he came off to warm applause by the crowd who appreciated his efforts.
On 34 minutes probably the move of the match, the ball hit long out of defence up to Boyle, he touched it to Hleb Wain who flicked it onto Spensley to drive the ball home from a narrow angle 2 – 8.
On 36 Minutes Somersall hit a late consolation from a well taken corner as the Panthers marking failed them at the back post 3 – 8.
Leabrooks and Morgan Boyle had not finished, Boyle hit another great goal on 39 minutes to cap a superb display by the Panthers, 3 – 9.
A pleasing first season for the Leabrooks U7’s team, a good start, a good finish but an inconsistent patch in the middle section.
