Leafield Athletic 3-3 northampton town

31/8/22 – 7.30pm – Dickens Heath Sports Centre

Midlands divison one.

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Goal By Laura broadbent, leonie Joyce, jessica lowe.

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It’s Wednesday and it’s midweek and a midweek game day. As Northampton Town travel up to take on Aid Clements, Leafield Athletic. The game was taking place at Highgate United Football Club. I finally arrived after what can be called a challenging ride for certain but an eye opening one. Was looking forward to seeing Leonie Joyce joining up with the team.

It took 12 minutes when Leafield opened the scoring with a beautiful corner in from Sam Baker put in a beautifully floated corner to the on running Laura Broadbent who i’d like to think said Hiiii-Yah as she booted the ball home. She loves a spectacular finish. for the 1-0 lead. 

It felt like Leafield might go on to win the game easy as another effort went close and Kathryn Pagan was as ever working her socks off on the wing for Leafield. Northampton showed they wasn’t going to lie down though as they built into the game and came so close to scoring on the 20th minute. But as always when you don’t take your chances it was Leafield with the ball in the back of the net once again to get a 2-0 lead. Leonie Joyce on debut said completed it mate, she read the play fantastically and took the keeper on one on one and after she got past the keeper she slotted ball home with ease on the 22nd minute.

I’m not sure whether at this point Leafield took foot of the gas mixed with Northampton’s never say die attitude. But on the 24th minute Northampton managed to pull one back through Alex Dicks who made the score 2-1. Northampton then seemed to dominate most of the half but couldn’t find a second goal. The game went into the half time break with the score at 2-1 to Leafield Athletic

Northampton caught Leafield cold as 43 seconds into the half as the ball was lifted into the box as Kim Farrow finished it making the score 2-2 as the game restarted. Leafield seemed to be stunned and took a while to get back into the game as the first 15 minutes seemed as if Northampton would be next to score.

It was a great worked goal by Leafield though that retook the lead on the 71st minute. As Grace Godwin does what Grace does she picked out a perfect cross to find Jess Lowe who doesn’t need a second invitation to score. At 3-2 up could Leafield see out the game and pick up the victory.

It was nearly 4-2 to Leafield not long after but the Northampton keeper was kept on her toes to stop the effort. But the 84th minute again proves if you don’t take your chances what can happen. It was 3-3 after Abbie Reboul pulled the Cobblers level, and you could see how much it meant to them. Ella Bailey came on in the 75th minute and as always so happy to see her play and pushed Leafield forward keeping the wing backs on their toes. But then game finished 3-3, with 2 points lost for Leafield after being in a winning position but Northampton’s first ever point in the Midlands Division One.

Northampton will walk away the happier team but both teams went for it and had moments in the game so on reality a draw was proberly a fair point each. Leafield next travel to John Bennett’s Sheffield FC team on Sunday.