REPORT BY WINNERS LAD

Leek Town travelled to the Marine Travel Arena for their final Northern Premier League West league game of the season knowing a win would ensure a home semi-final tie in the promotion playoffs and duly achieved their target with a thoroughly competent performance against one of their playoff rivals.

Manager Neil Baker switched from the previous 4-3-3 formation against Kidsgrove to go with 5 at the back and have Ammar Dyer and Louis Keenan as attacking wingbacks to provide width going forward, which meant Will Saxon being sacrificed and having to take a place on the bench.

Playing with a strong wind behind them in the first half Bakers tactics nearly proved fruitful as the Blues immediately went on the attack and carved out an opportunity in the first minute as Dyer was played in on the right, but the youngster tried to find Tim Grice in the centre when the shot was on.

More good play in the 3rd min resulted in Dan Trickett-Smith having a low shot saved by Marine goalkeeper Bayleigh Passant before Leek's positive start was rewarded by a quality strike by Tom Edge in the 6th min.

This time the move came down the left with Marc Grocott linking up with wingback Keenan and also Trickett-Smith who laid the ball square for Edge to hit a sumptuous drive from 25yds that found the top corner and gave Passant no chance.

Clearly stunned by the start the visitors had made Marine strived to get themselves into the game with their main threat coming from Neil Kengni but they were struggling against the wind and their efforts were being thwarted by the solid central three of Scott Wara, Josh Ryder and Olly Harrison.

Goalkeeper Danny Roberts was having little to do but was nearly deceived by an in-swinging cross by Barrigan that avoided the onrushing Lewis Reilly and required him to parry away and then fall on the ball to avert the danger.

Leek doubled their advantage in the 34th minute courtesy of a calamitous mistake by keeper Barrigan. Some neat interplay by Billy Reeves and Tim Grice in the middle of the pitch led to Reeves playing an intelligent ball over the top for Trickett-Smith to run onto. Barrigan came out of his area to deal with danger but misjudged the bounce and the ball skimmed off his head to allow Trickett-Smith to hook the ball into an empty net to the delight of the travelling Blues fans behind the goal.

And five mins later it was 3-0. From a pass forward to Trickett-Smith the Blues forward attempted a dummy to allow the ball to roll onto Grice and maybe was fortunate that the ball broke back to him. But it was then that he drove towards the penalty area and with four Marine players around him managed to get away an effort that Barrigan was able to parry away but only to the lurking Grice who was able to finish neatly to put Leek into dreamland leading up to the break.

HT MARINE AFC 0 - LEEK TOWN 3

As expected, having the advantage of the wind Marine improved in the second half and the Blues were forced to defend for long periods, but with a three goal advantage were clearly happy to do so, manage the game sensibly, and look to hit on the counter attack.

Apart from one cross that flashed dangerously across the Leek 6yd box and a couple of long range efforts the Blues back line remained solid with the midfield trio of Edge, Reeves and Grocott working tirelessly in front of them and Marine were guilty of over hitting their passes with the wind.

The closest the home side came was as a result of a Leek mistake when a poor back header from Ryder was latched onto by Kengni but he failed to get enough on the ball when trying to lift it over Roberts and his effort was straight into the keepers arms.

Marine did get a consolation in added time when Jack Dunn scored with a quality free kick that flashed past Roberts into the top corner but by then the game was over and Blues fans were already looking forward to Tuesday night when Runcorn Linnets will be the visitors to Harrison Park with a place in the playoff final at stake.

FT MARINE AFC 1 - LEEK TOWN 3

Leek Town line up as follows

1. Roberts

2. Wara replaced by Davidson (82)

3. Keenan

4. Grocott replaced by Short (78)

5. Harrison

6. Ryder

7. Edge

8. Reeves (c)

9. Grice

10. Trickett-Smith replaced by Saxon (77)

11. Dyer

Substitutes : Booth, Ly (unused)

Attendance : 1367