Late goals end lingering hopes of Daventry making their point

Three goals in the final third ended Daventry’s hopes of getting anything from the Division One South contest after solid performance in the opening hour against the promotion chasers.

Darran Foster’s side lost 4-0 at Communications Park where former Port Vale keeper Chris Martin almost gifted his side the opener in the blustery conditions. Martin’s clearance out for a corner from which Adam Creaney curled the ensuing kick off the top of the bar.

But Leek took a 20th minute lead with their first shot on target when former Crewe Alexander player Dan Shelley found Niall Maguire who fired home low into the corner of the net from six yards.

An overhead kick from former Witton Albion central defender Darren Chadwick went narrowly over before Chris Baker was denied by keeper Ben Heath.

Top scorer Tim Grice fired over before Heath made a brilliant finger-tip save from Baker’s header and Niall Green missed the angle of post and bar. In between, Mitchell Piggon shot wide before Leek increased their lead just after the hour mark when recent signing Omar Haughton hit an unstoppable shot under Heath’s diving body.

Heath was called upon to make another important save moments later from Grice as the Blues looked to wrap up the points. And they did so with two goals late on which finally ended Daventry’s hopes.

Leek increased their advantage in the 77th minute when Baker sent Heath the wrong way before slipping the ball into the net.

Daventry almost got a goal back but Leek managed to scramble the ball away after a frantic goalmouth scramble. Lee Cropper had another shot well saved by Heath and then had a second effort deflected wide for a corner.

But Cropper finally got his name on the score sheet in the 89th minute when he tapped in a fine cross from winger Kyle Diskin, giving Leek an unassailable lead and all three points.