Match Report

Beesley's Reds Start As They Mean To Go On

FC United scored two goals without reply against Leek Town to start the 2025/26 Pitching In Northern Premier League season with a 2-0 win. 

Adam Le Fondre opened the scoring in the first half, before Jay Fitzmartin doubled the lead early in the second during a day of celebration at Broadhurst Park.

The Reds had four players making their full debuts for the club, with Dan Atherton, Matty Thomson, Ajay Weston and Andre Wisdom all making their first competitive appearances after making the move to Moston this summer.

The game started evenly, however, FC had the best chance of the early exchanges when Le Fondre fed the ball into captain Charlie Ennis, who dragged his shot just wide of the post.

Moments later, Matty Grivosti found himself with space on the right flank and put a ball into the six-yard box which evaded everyone bar Le Fondre at the back post.  

The former Premier League striker took a touch before lifting the ball over goalkeeper Dino Visser into the back of the net in front of the SMRE, putting FC 1-0 to the good in the 17th minute, much to the delight of most of the 1,680 in attendance.

The flurry of FC chances did not stop there, as moments later Fitzmartin fired the ball across the six-yard box, with Donohue unable to divert the ball away from the oncoming ‘keeper.

The Reds went into the halftime break 1-0 up and got off to a dream start in the second half. In the 51st minute, Ennis slipped the ball into the path of Fitzmartin, who finished emphatically off the post to put FC United 2-0 ahead.

FC continued to push for more, with Weston and Misambo both going close, the latter heading against the outside of the post. The woodwork came to the rescue of the visitors again just two minutes later, with Grivosti’s shot bouncing off one post onto another and somehow not into the back of the net, before Fitzmartin’s effort failed to find its target.

In the closing stages, Le Fondre had two more opportunities to further United’s lead, with the first edging just wide of the net, while the second was smashed into the onrushing Leek keeper, resulting in a corner to the Reds.

The fulltime whistle soon followed, with FC earning three points to start the new campaign with a comfortable victory.

Manager Mark Beesley will hope to follow the win with a second when the Reds travel to Lancaster City on Tuesday evening. We then have a free Saturday before hosting Whitby Town at Broadhurst Park on Tuesday 19th August.

Match report by Daniel Atkinson