Hellenic League Division One West

Tytherington Rocks 0 North Leigh United 2

TYTHERINGTON Rocks did little to raise the festive spirits when visitors North Leigh United returned home to Oxfordshire with all three points following their 2-0 victory at the Hardwicke Field.

Although Rocks’ early pressure earned a corner within the first minute, it was the opposition who held the balance of power for the first 20 minutes.

A misjudgement when the ball appeared to go out of play on the left touchline gave North Leigh the first opportunity to open the scoring but the shot, to the defender’s relief, sailed over the bar.

Still under pressure, home keeper Worton decisively held on to a couple of goal-bound shots and pulled off a point blank save and subsequent rebound.

From a corner on 25 minutes, North Leigh sent a header high over the bar, the clearest chance of the game at that time.

This scare seemed to prompt the Rocks into a more attacking mode. Brandon Banks used his speed to good effect, but the home team’s best chance fell to Elliot Gardner on 30 minutes but his accurate drive was pushed wide by the visitors’ keeper.

It was Elliot again who, through on goal, was stopped by the first booking of the game on 31 minutes.

Rocks, who held the pressure advantage, could not convert this advantage into goals.

North Leigh then took control once again. One of their forwards coaxed Rocks into a free-kick on the edge of the penalty area and the result was a shot by the visitors which grazed the outside edge of the right-hand post.

North Leigh United’s attacking sorties continued to half time without success, thanks to some solid defending and teamwork by Dan Pirie and Jordan Connolly in Rocks’ defence.

The last free-kick of the half to the visitors rebounded off the Rocks’ defensive wall but was confidently held by Worton in the home goal.

The stalemate from the first half could well have been broken within a minute of the restart when a Tytherington attack was only foiled by a strong save from the North Leigh keeper.

Rocks were then pinned down in their own half for the third quarter of the game, defending numerous corners.

As in several earlier games this season, the defence worked extremely hard as the final 10 minutes approached.Rare forays towards the opposition goal, occasionally resulting in free-kicks, produced no reward for the forwards.

However, as in several previous games this season, the persistent pressure by the opposition told and a cross from the left wing by North Leigh on 82 minutes was driven home by Brad Evans.

Alfie Saunders doubled the lead with a right-foot volley.

The club will be looking to revive fortunes when the first team travel to Abingdon in the Supplementary Cup on January 9.

The next home game is on January 16 against Fairford (kick-off 3pm).