McLeese Shines In Athletic Win

<p>Launton Athletic picked up the New Year where they left the last running out 2-0 winners in a convincing victory. &nbsp;The pitch conditions prevented it being a vintage Athletic display, but they dominated the game and ran out worthy winners, inspired by a superb performance from McLeese.<p>The first half ended nil-nil, but it wasn’t without event or chances. &nbsp;Early in the game, playing in the defensive midfield role, Launchbury broke up and opposition play and hit a superb through ball to Gough whose shot was met by keeper. &nbsp;The pressure continued, Barrett dragged the ball back and danced round another defender, his shot was saved and Gough again came close but couldn’t keep his shot down. &nbsp;Continued pressure resulted in another chance, and Barrett hit a snap shot, but it was at the keeper who saved and did well to hold it. &nbsp;A quick break saw Athletic on the back foot, but some great defensive tracking by Lucas-Howells broke down the attack. &nbsp;Lucas-Howells retained his composure to bring the ball forwards and play it to Barrett who rode a tackle and slid the ball to Gough, but again the keeper kept Athletic at bay.<p>The opposition grew in confidence, and the game had all the hallmarks of an opposition being under pressure and snatching a goal, how apt on FA Cup 3rd round weekend. &nbsp;The Athletic defence though, had other ideas. &nbsp;Burrows and McLeese looked calm and confident, breaking up everything that came their way, and playing the ball out with precision and purpose, rather than booting it anywhere. &nbsp;McLeese picked the pocket of the striker, before some nice footwork allowed him to turn a challenge and he hit a magical cross field pass to Davies, but the cross went behind for a goal kick. &nbsp;Two minutes later, McLeese showed that today, he wasn’t being beaten making a superb block of a goal bound shot.<p>Time running out in the first half, Lucas-Howells found Babington, his shot was saved and Barrett’s follow up rattled the bar. &nbsp;Surely the goal was coming. &nbsp;In the dying moments, Athletic forced a corner after a great ball by Burrows sent Davies down the wing. &nbsp;The delivery from Lucas-Howells was consistent as ever, and Launchbury reacted first to a bouncing ball but his effort went over the bar.<p> Half Time.<p>McLeese started the second half in the same form to which he played the first half. &nbsp;Another tackle, a shimmy past two and a ball that opened the defence to send the half time sub Lazarus into space. &nbsp;His cross was blocked and Athletic won another corner, but the opposition cleared. &nbsp;Burrows picked up the loose ball and again found Lazarus who passed to Barrett but the shot went wide.<p>The opposition broke again, but McLeese pulled off a brilliantly timed last ditch tackle, the note went in the book to ask his mum what he’d had for breakfast.<p>Barrett picked up a lose ball, turned the defender but his shot was again met by the keeper.&nbsp;Atheltic broke shortly after, Babington beat all and bearing down on goal unleashed a shot, the keeper again saved, but this time Barrett was on hand to slam the ball home from close range. &nbsp;The goal the team so deserved had arrived. &nbsp;Phew.<p>A lapse in concentration saw the attack break through, but you guessed it, McLeese with another sliding tackle, prevented the goal and made sure a corner was the best they were getting. &nbsp;Chaston in the goal must have been secretly hoping he’d miss one tackle, as he’d been left with little to do.<p>Blake had taken his place at the back and immediately won a ball with a strong challenge, he played in Lucas-Howells who slid through Barrett, but it was just too strong and the defender saw it out for a corner which Gough rose to meet. &nbsp;It looked a certain two nil, but the header found the keeper.<p>Gough picked up an opposition clearance from a goal kick and found Babington. &nbsp;A through ball to Barrett sent him one on one but on the stretch he could only get a toe to it, which sent it straight into the path of the rampaging Lazarus who smashed the ball home from the six yard box.<p>With the game the nearly done, a last ditch attack was made by the opposition. &nbsp;Tracking back was the Athletic Man of the Match, who with a swagger of ‘not on my watch’ threw himself at the ball to block an opposition shot.<p>The whistle went.&nbsp;A solid performance by all and good start to the year. &nbsp;A superb performance by McLeese was capped with the Man of the Match vote and a round of applause from the players.<p> Great stuff boys and onto the Launton derby next week. &nbsp;Let’s keep it up.<p>COYY!