It's FA Vase time again! Leighton Town fans hoping for another great run

Biggest Bell Close crowd of season see last weekend's draw with Broadfields United
Leighton Town players line up for the minute's silence for Remembrance Day before Saturday's gameLeighton Town players line up for the minute's silence for Remembrance Day before Saturday's game
Leighton Town players line up for the minute's silence for Remembrance Day before Saturday's game

A fantastic crowd of 473 watched Leighton Town’s 0-0 draw with Broadfields United at the weekend – their highest attendance of the season at Bell Close.

And the club are hoping they will have plenty more support on Saturday, when they travel to Newport Pagnell Town for the second round of the Buildbase FA Vase.

After their outstanding efforts in recent seasons, hopes are high for another great run.

Last year Leighton reached the last eight of the competition, finally succumbing 2-1 to Walsall Wood in April.

“We are really looking forward to it,” said manager Paul Bonham. “It’s a massive game and if you are looking at the two sides I’d almost be putting us as the underdogs.Their manager Gary Flinn has built up a very strong side .

“There’s a bit of pressure and a level of expectation from the club and the fans after their two or three fantastic runs getting to the quarter-final stage.

“We know if we want to do well in this competitition we have to meet teams like Newport Pagnell every time – and hopefully in the next round.”

Newport Pagnell are fourth in the United Counties League Premier South.

Leighton were overtaken at the top of the Spartan South Midlands Premier Division this week, when new leaders Risborough Rangers beat Baldock Town 2-0. The chasing pack all have at least four games in hand over Leighton.

“Saturday’s crowd was over 470 and it’s a privilege for this squad to have a following like that – no one else at our level is getting near that,” added Bonham.

“I’m gutted we couldn’t take the three points for them.

“Hopefully they can follow us to Newport Pagnell and give us some support on Saturday.

“We’ve a couple of good training sessions this week.

“Last week against Broadfields was frustrating and it was a game we should have won. Credit to Broadfields, they played very well. I saw them at the beginning of the season and they only had one player from that time.

“In the second half we created four or five chances that we would expect to score from every time, but we didn’t lose and kept a clean sheet so there are a lot of positives.”

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