Trophy joy for in-form Leighton
Leighton Town’s bright start to the season continued on Saturday as they ran out 3-0 winners at Brightlingsea Regent in the FA Trophy.
The win sets up an away tie with Walthamstow in the next round and was secured thanks to an own goal plus strikes from Sydney Ibie and Rio Da Silva, all in the second-half.
Leighton have only lost one game all season – that in the FA Cup – and this was ultimately another convincing display against a side who also play at step four but in the Isthmian League Division One North, to see them through to the second qualifying round on September 20.
Godlove Oppong nearly had Leighton in front three minutes in but his effort struck the post, also firing a shot wide midway through the first-half.
Sam King also shot past the post while Kyal Williams and Magloire Muyembe Jnr both saw efforts saved before the break.
The deadlock was broken just after the hour mark when a corner was swung in from the left and the ball went into the net off the foot of Brightlingsea defender Tom Lawson.
Five minutes later the lead was doubled as from a breakaway, sub Ibie took control and cut inside before finishing superbly past the keeper.
The third goal then soon followed as another sub, Da Silva, turned home Ibie’s cross to seal the win, Ibie seeing another goal late on chalked off for offside.
Leighton now have a weekend free of action due to original opponents Hitchin Town having an FA Cup tie.
It means the next game for Paul Reed’s men will be the FA Trophy tie with Walthamstow.
Their next league game won’t be until Saturday, September 27 when they go to Leverstock Green, looking to build on a start to the season that has seen Leighton win all three of their SPL Division One Central fixtures so far.