Went to Leighton Buzzard yesterday, and was disappointed to find that they don't treat their musical heritage as Liverpool does theirs, so couldn't go on a Barron Knights coach tour or visit the Kajagoogoo Experience. So I had to make do with a trip to Bell Close for the FA Vase tie between Leighton Town and Norwich CBS. Until relegation a couple of seasons ago Leighton Town spent twenty years or so in the Isthmian and Southern Leagues, although their ground is relatively basic for a club that has played at higher level. The visitors have spent most of their existence as Norwich Union but have gone through various name changes since the company sports club was closed, adopting their current name last summer following sponsorship by a Kent based construction firm.
The visitors were the lowest ranked side left in the Vase, being upper mid table in the second tier of the Eastern Counties League, and so started out underdogs to their visitors, in a similar league postition but a step higher in the Spartan South Midlands Premier Division. Norwich took the lead after only a couple of minutes , turning in a corner, but Leighton scored from a corner of their own to make the half time score 1-1. Norwich retook the lead in the second half and looked like they were going to hold on, as Leighton struggled in front of goal. However the hosts finally managed to equalise with just a couple of minutes left on the clock to force extra time, and from that point on there was only one winner; Leighton scored three times in the first half of the additional period, winning 5-2 in the end.
The home fans were singing about going to Wembley by the end of the game. They are correct that Leighton will be doing this, as their final league game is a trip to Vale Farm to take on Wembley FC. However on this performance I don't fancy their chances of a repeat trip to the stadium the next month.
From Leighton Buzzard I headed up the M1 to Derby for second tier basketball between Derby Trailblazers and Bradford Dragons. Derby play at a fairly new sports centre in the south of the city, although it's not particularly well arranged for spectating as the position of the court means that the team benches are in front of the viewing area, so your view can be blocked at times if you get a coach like the Bradford one who chooses to spend most of the game walking up and down the sideline (and in his case frequently onto the court).
Bradford started the day in the last playoff spot with Derby a place and a game behind them. Derby were the better side but went through hot and cold phases - they would build up a double digit lead then seemingly forget how to play and allow Bradford back into the game. Luckily for the home side they finished on a hot phase to win 90-79. Two players fouled out on each team, one on the home side after only 17 minutes.
The visitors were the lowest ranked side left in the Vase, being upper mid table in the second tier of the Eastern Counties League, and so started out underdogs to their visitors, in a similar league postition but a step higher in the Spartan South Midlands Premier Division. Norwich took the lead after only a couple of minutes , turning in a corner, but Leighton scored from a corner of their own to make the half time score 1-1. Norwich retook the lead in the second half and looked like they were going to hold on, as Leighton struggled in front of goal. However the hosts finally managed to equalise with just a couple of minutes left on the clock to force extra time, and from that point on there was only one winner; Leighton scored three times in the first half of the additional period, winning 5-2 in the end.
The home fans were singing about going to Wembley by the end of the game. They are correct that Leighton will be doing this, as their final league game is a trip to Vale Farm to take on Wembley FC. However on this performance I don't fancy their chances of a repeat trip to the stadium the next month.
From Leighton Buzzard I headed up the M1 to Derby for second tier basketball between Derby Trailblazers and Bradford Dragons. Derby play at a fairly new sports centre in the south of the city, although it's not particularly well arranged for spectating as the position of the court means that the team benches are in front of the viewing area, so your view can be blocked at times if you get a coach like the Bradford one who chooses to spend most of the game walking up and down the sideline (and in his case frequently onto the court).
Bradford started the day in the last playoff spot with Derby a place and a game behind them. Derby were the better side but went through hot and cold phases - they would build up a double digit lead then seemingly forget how to play and allow Bradford back into the game. Luckily for the home side they finished on a hot phase to win 90-79. Two players fouled out on each team, one on the home side after only 17 minutes.
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