Another hectic start to the season saw us face Horden, in the cup, at home for our 4th game in 7 days.
Liam McVicar had the games first shot on 5 mins but it was easily saved by the Horden keeper. On 11 mins Brodie Simpson had a free kick saved and the ball was swept into the net by Nathan Baddams, but he was flagged offside and the goal ruled out. Simpson beat his man on the left and drilled a cross in for Robbie Robson to open the scoring on 15 mins. Leam keeper Neil Postlethwaite made a smart save on 18 mins and Horden should have scored a minute later but a free header went over the bar. McVicar was brought down as he ran into the box on 23 mins and the ref pointed to the spot. Simpson made no mistake from 12 yards to put Leam 2 up. We should have put the game to bed as we pressed and McVicar shot wide when 1v1 with the keeper on 26 mins and then Leon Kane headed a Robson free kick past the post from 6 yards. Simpson missed a good chance on 37 mins and we started to believe the match was won but Horden had other ideas, pouncing on some sloppy defending to pull a goal back on 39 mins. HT 2-1
Almost straight from the kick off Horden were level, Kane diving in to a tackle to concede the second penalty of the game, which was converted by the Horden centre forward. Another 3 chances went begging, Niki Langston fired wide, McVicar headed over and then wasted a glorious chance, all in the first 15 mins of the half. An attempt to play offside saw Horden take the lead as the linesmans flag stayed down and Hordens forward ran in to score on 63 mins. We rallied again and Robson fired over on 69 mins, then Jonny Hirst crossed from the left and as Simpson attempted to latch on to it the ball broke to Alan Mulholland who coolly slotted the ball home to make it 3-3. Another cross from the left, this time from full back Matthew Frost picked out McVicar in the box and he finished through the keepers legs on 73 mins. Back in control we had more chances, the best of which saw Hirst 1v1 with the keeper but he blasted over the bar from 10 yards. McVicar put a chance over the bar on 84 mins and then Robson sealed the win with what seemed to be a cross from the right but it sailed over the keeper to make it 5-3 and put us into the next round.