When the going gets tough...

Holding fast their position at the top of Div 2, 6 points clear of the 2nd & 3rd place teams; Penn & Tylers Green & Widmer End Utd, both of whom have a game in hand.
It was always going to be a tough game, (Wycombe teams often are) and it returned a fair result with a turn of fortunes for both sides throughout the 80 minutes.

Under 16’s – Division 2

Hale Leys Youth 2 – Widmer End Utd 2

A full 80 minutes of action played at the Fairford Leys football pitches yesterday (Sunday). Widmer End Utd were always going to be a strong opposition & they held Leys deep in their half for much of the first half.
As the game moved into the 27th minute Leys forfeited a penalty to United, which Jake Sherwin slotted away. Leys, disappointed at the awarding of the penalty, upped their game & started making more chances to push forward.
Three minutes before the break & Nathan Scarfe had pushed along the left wing & closed on the United box. With keeper Tim Warner well off his line, Scarfe took a shot that defied the laws of physics as it swung behind the keeper & in to level the scores.

The opening of the second half & Hale Leys were fully back on form, with two close attempts on goal made in the first 5 minutes. Widmer End were still dangerous on a break though; fast-paced striker Nigel Mprfu receiving a long ball on the left of the box which was swung in but, luckily for Leys, rattled the near post.
The to-and-fro of possession continued throughout the half until, having made a Leys break in the 28th minute, Pat Hurst was caught on his own in the right corner; jockeying to get around the defence Hurst put a cross into the 18yd box. The incoming Luca Forchione sadly scuffed his attempt but Nathan Scarfe was more successful, burying the ball through the defence & keeper to put the home side ahead for the first time in the match.
Leys continued to hold their position & keep United penned into their own half; but having gone from a goal ahead to a goal behind the Widmer End resolve was strengthened. Another quick break for the visitors & again Mprfu was moving at speed along the left wing, having managed to just out-pace the Leys right-back, his shot was accurately targeted & again the scores were levelled which was how they remained at the final whistle.

With resident keeper, Gary Bidgway, out of action for the match Ashley Kent moved back 20 yds from the back four & into the goalmouth & a superb job he did there too. Luca Forchione also put in a great show with two precision targeted shots disallowed through highly debatable line calls.

Another break in fixtures next week for the Leys boys before they resume their league title campaign against Prestwood Colts on the 14th December.