Leckie and Rothery on target as Oakham earn a point

Oakham United earned their first point of 2016 in the UCL Division One on Saturday when they drew 2-2 with high fliers Northampton ON Chenecks.

The visitors to Sterling Meadows are second in the league but that did not stop them going behind twice to the Tractor Boys.

However once again the Tractor Boys could not keep the opposition out.

Adam Rothery and Lewis Leckie have been a decent double act for the Rutland side of late, and both players were on the mark again on Saturday.

Midfielder Rothery opened the scoring after just eight minutes, with his eighth goal of the season but Calvin Budd levelled for Chenecks in the last minute of the first half.

The leading scorer Leckie put Oakham back in the lead with his 25th strike of the season, two minutes past the hour, but the visitors earned their point through Adam Hancock after 72 minutes.

Oakham assistant manager Andy Bailey, who actually missed most of the match because of work commitments but made it to Sterling Meadows straight off the plane, said: “It was a good point to get, but we could be slightly disappointed that we went in front twice and didn’t hold on for all three points.”

However both sides hit the woodwork during the game and at times Oakham rode their luck. Bailey said he is not concerned about the lack of goal scorers in his side in recent weeks however he is frustrated that his, and manager Wayne Oldaker’s efforts to bring in a pair of strikers at the start of January has not worked out so far.

Corey Taylor, who joined from German side DX Gutersloh, has trained with the squad but not been available to play on a Saturday yet, and James Hill-Seekings, who pulled out of Saturday’s game late in the day, already seems to be heading back to Peterborough Northern Star.

Bailey said: “Lewis keeps putting the ball in the back of the net which is a massive positive. At the start of the season we were getting goals from across the pitch, Dan Jenkins had a few, Richard Nelson was scoring, but we are still creating chances, we created enough to win the game on Saturday but we just didn’t take them.

“I’m more concerned about the back. We look susceptible at set pieces and as soon as Darren Edey came in [as a coach] he said we are not working hard enough.

“You defend from the front but looking at the back four we need to go back to basics.”

Bailey continued: “We are learning a lot about people’s character this season. Last year it was exceptional, and I put that down to the fact we were winning all the time, but we are learnings things about people this season and we are considering our options in the off season. Watch this space. We might need to shake things up, defending on how we finish the season.”

Oakham sit 11th in the league and on Saturday host seventh place Long Buckby.