Pre Season Friendly, Friday 28th August 2020
Pre-Season number thirteen of 20/21 saw me back over at The
Len Forge Centre to see the ‘Leigh Derby’ between Leigh Ramblers and Leigh Town
in an all Essex Olympian League encounter on the outskirts of Southend.
Rams of course ply their trade in the Premier Division and
last season went pretty well as they sat in second place behind Sungate at the
top of the division having taken 38 points from their 22 games before the
season was ended early due to Covid-19, and they were the joint highest scorers
having netted 52 goals.
Obviously their has been changes since last season after
boss Wayne Seal departed the club but no doubt this campaign the Rams will look
to have another decent campaign this time around, and their final pre-season
comes against fellow Leigh side Leigh Town who play their football two levels
below in Senior Two.
But don’t let that fool you, because Town are a very decent
outfit themselves, and sat top of the division having amassed 43 points from their
fifteen matches in an unbeaten league season netting 44 goals at almost three a
game and with the second best defence in the division too, they certainly had
all the ingredients for a successful side.
Sadly promotion wasn’t to be after the season was curtailed early of
course, but no doubt that will drive them on this season to repeat their success.
So a good game was in the offing then? Well the early offering suggested so, the
visitors seeing a forward ball met by a powerful header away by keeper Dylan
Skinner who took ball, forward, the lot, whilst Rams almost capitalised at the
back post after a defender let the cross go, but in the 16th minute
Rams took the lead as the dangerous Matt Brinklow was released down the left,
and after his effort was saved, Dan Williams managed to put the loose ball into
the net.
The rest of the half saw a dominant performance from Rams,
forcing some good saves from the keeper and also see Brinklow fire a long range
effort against the crossbar, and although the hosts had a 1-0 lead at the break
they could have easily had more than that.
Half Time Leigh Ramblers 1 Leigh Town 0
The early exchanges of the second period continued in much
the same way as the first, Rams on the front foot and creating openings, and
after seeing a couple of efforts acrobatically cleared off the line, they did
finally manage to double the lead just past the hour mark as a low cross from
the left was converted by Ryan Lowe.
Rams thumped another effort against the woodwork as they
continued to carve out more openings, and with twelve minutes left had the
chance to add a third from the spot after the referee has adjudged that a defender
had illegally halted a drive into the box, and Williams stepped up to add his
second and open up a three goal cushion for the home side.
Rams then thumped the woodwork for the third time in the
game late on, but they did manage to add a fourth just before the end when a
corner swung in from the left invaded all on the far post and thumped off the
inside of that post and into the net. It
capped a fine performance from the Rams who could have had double the amount of
goals and more than the four they managed.
For Town it was a tough evening against their Premier
Division opponents, but they often say you learn more from defeats like this
than you would from a win, so I am sure they will put this down to experience
and move onto the next one. This is what
preseason is for, trying to find out who has it and who doesn’t.
Anyway Rams take the honours in this Leigh Derby anyway, and
they looked very impressive this evening.
Full Time Leigh Ramblers 4 Leigh Town 0
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