Leazes secure first victory of the season

In a potentially pivotal bottom of the table clash, Castle Leazes upset the odds with a 2-0 win over Crayola at Cochrane Park on Wednesday.

Football Division One (Weds) 

Castle Leazes 2-0 Crayola

The first win of the season for bottom placed Leazes puts them two points behind Crayola with a crucial game in hand and just three games of the campaign left to play.

The match started slightly after the scheduled kickoff as Crayola sauntered to the pitch late due to Tom Womersley polishing his new personalised boots. When things finally began, it was not the explosive start that was hoped for, and instead remained a tentative affair for a number of minutes.

It was Crayola, however, that looked the most likely to make something happen, as chances from Sam Turner and Joleon Sayer forced the Leazes keeper into making some fine saves.

Crayola were forced to rue their missed chances though, as a long ball was dispatched over the Crayola defence, which was taken wide by Alex Jones, who beat the keeper and slotted the ball home at a difficult angle.

The goal injected some much needed confidence into Castle Leazes, who seemed much more accomplished on the ball after taking the advantage. Play was generally restricted to midfield, however as both teams were nervous about conceding, the only player looking like making something happen being Crayola’s Sam Turner, who dominated midfield all game.

Castle Leazes had a few half chances through Ali Dacey, and a free kick from Dan Jones could have doubled the score if it had been just a little lower, but neither team had much of a sniff at goal and went into half time with Leazes 1-0 up.

The second half started as the first had finished, with very little in the way of chances and a midfield battle that was becoming more heated, with number of free kicks starting to add up. Castle Leazes were awarded a free kick on the edge of the box, with Ali Dacey firing just wide of the mark.

With Crayola pushing more and more for the win, space was being left for Leazes which they were beginning to exploit. Aaron Green was given the ball in midfield, and proceeded to thread a beautiful through ball to Alex Jones who forced a great save from keeper Ben Storey to keep the score at 1-0.

Things proceeded to get slightly heated as keeper Storey and Leazes striker Fergus O’Callaghan became embroiled in a heated confrontation. It was O’Callaghan who had the last laugh however, as he took the ball past two Crayola players before smashing a shot that Storey could only parry into his own net, putting the game beyond all doubt.

This fractious affair could prove to be the deciding factor over who beats the drop this season, and Leazes will be delighted that they managed to grind out a win in a somewhat unattractive game of football. Crayola will be left ruing their missed chances, with questions having to be answered very quickly if they are to avoid the drop.