Whitchurch Alport (0) 2 Leek Town (2) 3   
 
Alport’s penultimate pre-season game ended in the narrowest of defeats against a very strong Leek Town side. The Evo-Stik Southern league team were dominant in the opening 45 and held a two goal lead at the break. And when a defensive slip presented the visitors with a third gift wrapped with a bow on top just five minutes after the interval, it looked like it might be a long night for the Alport fans amongst an 85 strong crowd at Yockings. But Alport are a resilient bunch these days and finished the game really strongly. By the end, Leek needed plenty of bodies behind the ball to make sure they protected their lead.
 
Tim Grice lashed Leek into a 13th minute lead when a bout of bagatelle in the home penalty box saw the ball fall kindly for the striker, and he buried his shot past Milosz Walentowicz. Tom France made it two just past the half hour when he shot through a crowd of bodies to find the corner with the help of a deflection. George Ward popped up twice on his own goal-line to keep the score down as Town threatened to run riot. It had been completely one-way traffic and the hosts got off to the worst possible start when Joe Minshall’s header fell short and Grice skipped past Walentowicz before walking the ball into an empty net.
 
At 3-0 Leek looked to be in complete control but Alport stuck to their guns and when Si Everall struck with a neat finish after a decent run down the left, it gave Alport an injection of much needed belief. Whitchurch started to up their game and caused problems for the away team with substitute Alex Hughes twice denied by flying saves from Grant Hartley – who stood in between the posts for Leek with their regular keeper unavailable. Hartley stood no chance though with 15 minutes left when Dean Twigg nearly took the net off with a 20 yarder that flew into the top corner. Alport’s fitness is one of their strengths and they ended the game the stronger of the two sides. A late scramble might have brought an equaliser but Leek held out for a 3-2 win.
 
Team: Walentowicz, Minshall, Ward, Goddard, Johnson, Twigg, McNichol, Everall C, Ashbrook, Thomas, Everall S (capt)
 
Subs: Rimmer, Hughes, Tinsley D, Tinsley A, McLennan
 
Our last pre season friendly is this Saturday as we host Staffs Premier side Florence FC at Yockings Park, 3pm kick off. See you there!