Ward backs stuttering Blues to bounce back

Leek Town’s assistant manager Peter Ward has urged the club’s players to put Saturday’s disappointing 1-1 draw at Scarborough behind them and remember that the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League First Division South championship is still in their hands, writes Michael Cope.

Lee Casswell’s side dropped to third in the table for only the fourth time this season after only taking a point at the weekend while rivals Halesowen and Coalville both earned expected home wins. Despite the set-back, the Blues are in championship winning form having picked up 28 out of the last 33 points on offer and their destiny is still in their own hands.

Speaking ahead of Wednesday’s night’s crucial trip to Carlton Town, Ward said: "We are obviously disappointed at only getting the draw but if we had been offered that a couple of months ago we would have taken it. The championship is still in our hands – we just need to win our last four games."

Ward believes they were unlucky not to take more from the game but insists they can only blame themselves after flagging in the latter stages.

He added: "I thought we were in control for much of the game and created the better chances. However, their keeper kept them in it with a string of outstanding saves. We looked comfortable in the opening half with both JJ [John Johnston] and Jordan [Johnson] both involved and by half time we felt we could go on and win the game.

"In the opening 15 minutes of the second half we continued to create chances and then they had a lad sent off and we got the own goal down to our pressure at a corner. But, after that, we lost our way a bit instead of sticking to the game plan – our passing became poor and we didn’t get the ball wide enough."

* Leek Town’s Girls U16s beat Stoke Ladies 2-1 at Norton Utd to win the Staffordshire County Cup, Katie Maya putting the Blues ahead against their north Staffordshire rivals before Kirsty Ryder scored what proved to be the winner.