North Leigh hit top of the League and wreck Leighton New Year Promotion hopes.

North Leigh have pushed Bedford Town off the top place league position at the start of the new year and today played away in what looked like to be a Battle Royale with Leighton Town. The first five mins went end to end as both sides settled down into the battle of the giants match. Leighton got the first serious shot on goal in the sixth min. North Leigh in yellow and black closed Leighton down with good marking and defensive play which was rewarded with an opening goal in the 8th min. Leighton kept trying to break through the close marking and in the 15th min got a second close shot on goal. Dan Walker continued to make some penetrating dribbles close into the North Leigh penalty area. The remainder of the first half despite the one nil lead remained equally balanced with North Leigh unable to kill the game off until the 41 st min when they were awarded a long free kick which went in. A few moments later, a repeat long term kick was awarded by the referee which hit the cross bar and with pressure mounting, Leighton looked more than pleased when the half time whistle went. As Leighton went into the dressing room for the break, Leighton Manager, Gary Flinn was left with much to contemplate on how to get back into the match for the second half. Something was surely said about their first half performance as Leighton came out fighting dominating the first quarter of the second . Frustration was further ignited when North Leigh's closing down tactics to maintain the lead turned to fouling and a red card being given to the visitors in the 58th min. With one less man to play against Leighton's chance of getting back into the game looked more and more promising as the match moved towards full time. Leighton kept the pressure on and were able to capitalise on the situation when Alfie Powell scored in the 68th min. Despite the goal and the visitors being one man down, Leighton were left unrewarded as the match ended in a 1-2 defeat.