L-eight-on hit the goal trail as they crush hosts Hoddesdon

Lee Bircham praised his squad after the 8-0 win on Saturday.

The win maintained their second place in the Spartan South Midlands Premier Division, indeed a defeat for third-placed Crawley Green at Biggleswade United means the Reds are now four points clear of them, and one point behind leaders Stotfold with a game in hand.

And Bircham was delighted with such a comprehensive win.

He said: “I think anyone who’s been watching us for a while knows that a result like that has been coming and unfortunately for Hoddesdon today it clicked for us.

"It was really pleasing. I was actually really pleased with the boys on the bench too as their attitudes, because the team has been playing well but you’re only as good as the lads on your bench and attitudes-wise when they came on we looked stronger if anything.

"So all in all it was a really good day and with the way results have been going we needed that, and goal difference may matter at the end of the year.

"I’m delighted that all the boys up front scored because when you get a big result like that you want to make sure all three forwards score and they have done today.”

Leighton now take a break from league action, with a home tie against Shefford Town & Campton in the Premier Division Cup on Tuesday night (10th) followed by a big FA Vase clash at holders Newport Pagnell Town on Saturday.

They then host New Bradwell St Peter in the Gladwish Challenge Trophy on January 17th, before third-placed Crawley Green welcome Bircham’s side four days later in their next league game.

The month then rounds off with a visit to league leaders Stotfold on January 28 and another home game with Shefford Town & Campton on January 31 in the league.

Bircham said: “We’ve got a tough month coming up and we’re just chalking them off one by one.

"I think the game with Shefford on Tuesday will have to be a chance to rotate the squad a little bit as the squad will get stretched a bit over the next few weeks and we’ll have to mix it around. But the beauty is we can change it any way you like at the moment and we’ve still got a lot of options and quality.”