STOCKTON TOWN VS LEEK TOWN PREVIEW
COMPETITION: Pitching In Northern Premier League Premier Division – Matchday 27
DATE: Wednesday 29th January, 2025
KICK-OFF: 19:45
ENTRY: £11 Adult, £9 Concessions, £5 11-18-year-olds, £3 under-11’s
TICKETS: https://stocktontownfc.ktckts.com/event/stfcleektownwed/leek-town
GROUND: Stockton Town FC, MAP Group UK Stadium, Bishopton Road West, Stockton-on-Tees, TS19 0QD
LIVE UPDATES: @stockton_townfc – Twitter/X
Stockton Town will look to end their home stand on a high under the lights when they welcome Leek Town to the MAP Group UK Stadium.
Following a positive start to their four-game home run with a victory over Lancaster, the Anchors were held to draw with Bamber Bridge and fell to a demoralising 3-2 defeat to Gainsborough Trinity on Saturday.
After falling behind to Javelle Clarke’s opener, Josh Baggs levelled with the first for the club- a year to day since becoming an Anchor.
The prolific Declan Howe scored either side of the break to take the points back to Lincolnshire.
Michael Dunwell will be without Glen Butterworth who picked up a knock in the defeat to Gainsborough. Michael Fowler will serve the second match of his three-game ban.
Michael Sweet will return to the squad, and there’s a place for youngster Tom Birtles too.
THE OPPOSITION
Leek Town made their return to the Premier Division for the first time since 2008 after winning the NPL West Division title last season.
There were some major changes to the squad in the summer as their top scorers Rob Stevenson and Daniel Trickett-Smith both departed. That led to a difficult start to the season and for much of the campaign they were in the bottom four.
Despite their early season struggles, faith was kept in manager Josh Brehaut and he has rewarded them with an upturn in fortunes.
The Blues have been unbeaten since mid-December and have recorded some mightily impressive results. On Boxing Day they handed league-leaders Macclesfield their only home defeat of the season to date. They did the same to Ilkeston Town too with a 2-0 win earlier this month- the only defeat they have suffered at the New Manor Ground this campaign.
Leek were out of action Saturday but cruised through in the Staffordshire Cup with a 5-0 win over Port Vale last Tuesday night.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
The two sides met for the first time on the opening day of the campaign.
10 Aug 24- Leek Town 0-2 Stockton Town- Northern Premier League Premier Division
FORM GUIDE
Stockton Town: W D W D L
Last Game: Stockton Town 2-3 Gainsborough Trinity
Leek Town: W D W W W
Last Game: Leek Town 5-0 Port Vale
PRE-MATCH QUOTES
Looking ahead to the game, Assistant Manager JD Briggs said:
“If we play like we have in the last two games then we will get nothing out of it, but if we are honest with ourselves and each other and put a bit more effort in then we might get something.”
“Regardless of where Leek are in the table, I thought they were really good when we played them at the start of the season and we really had to work hard to get that win.”
