Blues Pleased With Fair Play Win

Leek Town, who came third in last season’s overall fair play table, won the Evo-Stik NPL Division One South award for August after picking up just four cautions in six games.

Blues topped the table with two less cautions than Brigg Town and four clear of five other clubs – they will be presented with a 1.5l bottle of whiskey prior to the home game against Newcastle Town on Tuesday 13 September.

Injury List

Leek Town’s leading scorer for the past two seasons, Dan Cope, has suffered a set-back in his hopes of returning to the action later this month.

Cope damaged the meniscus in his knee at the end of last season and, after going through a series of tests and scans, as well as undergoing a pre-op examination, the young striker has been advised that he wont undergo key hole surgery until the middle of November due to a lengthening waiting list.

Meanwhile, central defender Mark Fitton (ankle) and midfielder Micky Morton (hamstring) are both undergoing treatment.

Fitton’s injury will be assessed again this week but he is expected to be out of action for a further two weeks. Morton is recovering well but is expected to be out of action for another week.

More player news

Veteran Leek Town midfielder Wayne Corden made an appearance from the bench in the recent FA Cup victory over Causeway United and Director of Football, Neil Baker, was hoping to find him a game elsewhere on Saturday but was foiled by local clubs’ involvement in the FA Vase.

Corden has been on the fringes of the team so far this season and Bake will now be looking to find him some games over the next couple of weeks.

Baker swooped last week to strengthen up front when he signed striker Tim Grice from North West Counties League outfit Eccleshall who kindly waived seven days notice of approach.

Grice was an unused sub at Brigg on Saturday and will sit out Blues’ FA Cup tie at home to Tipton Town on Saturday as he is cup-tied.

Macclesfield Town midfielder Michael Thomas will remain at Harrison Park for a further month after Neil Baker was allowed to extend his loan spell at the club.

Meanwhile, Blues will welcome back midfielder Danny Holmes later this week when he returns from a two-week holiday.

Coming up

On Tuesday Blues entertain rivals Newcastle Town in a local derby where they will clash with a number of former Leek players.

Castle are managed by former Blues’ defender John Diskin and his assistants are legendary ex-Leek strikers Dave Sutton and Ivan Lodge.

Diskin is expected to include former Blues’ players Anthony Malbon, Leon Ashman, Dave Whittaker
and Dave MacPherson in his squad whilst former Castle players Richard Minor, Micky Morton, Matt Haddrell and Dorryl Proffitt are now members of the Leek squad.

The game kicks off at 7.45pm.

FA Cup

Leek Town have been rewarded with a home tie in the Budweiser FA Cup First Qualifying Round after narrowly beating off the challenge of Causeway United in the preliminary round.

Blues will take on lower league opposition in Baker Joiner Midland Football Alliance outfit Tipton Town next Saturday 17 September 3.00pm.

Tipton reached the First Round Proper of the FA Cup last season, after progressing all the way from the Extra Preliminary Round - first time the club had ever competed at this stage of the tournament.

Tipton saw off a number of teams before facing Sheffield FC in the Fourth Qualifying Round and, after holding the oldest club in the world to a 2–2 draw they won 2-0 in the replay.

Carlisle United, six divisions higher, provided the opposition in the First Round Proper, but the fairy tale ended when the Division One side ran out 6–0 winners.