Leighton Town boss Lee Bircham delighted with win over Enfield

Lee Bircham has been encouraged ahead of the new season.

Leighton Town boss Lee Bircham says he’s happy with the progress being made by his squad just a week before the new Spartan South Midlands League season gets under way.

Bircham’s side host Stotfold in the opening game next Tuesday night and their latest friendly clash saw them overcome Enfield 2-1 on Saturday thanks to goals from Kieran Turner and Archie McClelland.

And speaking to the club’s media team after the game, Bircham said he was happy with that win and also with what he’s seeing from his players.

He said: “It was another good pre-season exercise against a side expected to win their league at the same level as us in the Essex Senior.

“It was a proper game of football; it was like a league game. They wanted to win it, we wanted to win it. It was a real good test.

"First-half, we were a bit loose at times with the ball which is unlike us. We had a few not playing today, which happens. In the second-half we’ve come out of the blocks brilliantly. It is only pre-season, it’s all part of the process but today was an excellent exercise for us as a new squad.

"We’re learning what formation we want to play because no manager should come in and say, I want to play this system. You see what players you’ve got and you work with the best you’ve got.

"We’re there or thereabouts now but it’s like any squad. We’ve got two games to go yet we can’t afford lots of injuries or lots of unavailability.

"At the moment, we’re really happy with what we’ve got. The boys are buying into it, it’s all early days but hopefully that continues.”

Leighton are due to host AFC Dunstable on Tuesday night before QPR’s under-23 side visit Bell Close on Saturday ahead of the league opener.

Last Tuesday’s friendly with Rayners Lane was postponed due to the heat, with Bircham adding: “It put us out really because we’re trying to get the whole squad having the maximum amount of minutes.

"We looked at maybe the possibility of playing Wednesday but then you miss the training on Thursday, so we felt we were chasing our tail a little bit with it.

"Tuesday hurt us in terms of getting everyone minutes but the energy levels were there again on Saturday.”