LEIGHTON Town manager Craig Wells believes his side are capable of causing an upset when big-spending league leaders St Neots visit Bell Close on Saturday.
Three impressive home wins in seven days have seen Leighton climb away from danger near the foot of the Evo-Stik League Division One Central, while St Neots have forced their way to the top of the pile, currently on a 14-game unbeaten run stretching back to early December.
In fact the Cambridgeshire outfit have lost just five out of 30 league games all season and boast a strikeforce out of place in the Southern League, including former Aston Villa and QPR striker Stefan Moore and plenty of others with Football League experience.
The Saints have a reported playing budget of £10,000 a week, but Town boss Wells thinks his side can match them on their day, despite losing heavily when the two teams met earlier this season at New Rowley Park back in November, before Wells took over as boss.
“We got our pants well and truly pulled down that day,” said Wells. “I know it hurt the players’ personal pride and they will be desperate to do themselves justice this time.
“We’re on a good little run now and nobody will fancy coming to our place at the moment so you never know.”
Town needed two second half goals to see off bottom side Marlow on Saturday, making it three home wins in a week after Chertsey and Uxbridge were also both sent packing, with Wells’ men conceding just once in those 270 minutes of football – and that was from the penalty spot.
But that Town defence will face a much toughest test when St Neots visit, having scored an average of three goals per game on their way to the top of the table.
However, Leighton are in excellent goal-scoring form themselves, particularly new front man Layne Eadie who found the back of the net four times in Town’s superb hat-trick of wins last week.
Wells was keen to heap praise on him, but also some of the team’s unsung heroes who have played key roles in Town’s recent revival, with Saturday’s victory against Marlow seeing them climb to 15th place and now nine points clear of the bottom three.
“Sean Bishop has been playing in a holding role in front of the back four and he’s been a key reason why we haven’t conceded many goals lately,” said Wells.
“We’re seeing lots of goals being scored at the other end too. Ben Gallant is back to his best and we look a real threat in attack.
“Lawrence Bunker hasn’t featured since signing after injuring himself at home, but his arrival seems to have helped kick a few others into action and we’re seeing a lot of improved performances of late. If we’re at our best we’ll give St Neots a good game.”