Striker Leckie pulls up as Oakham draw again

In many ways draws have been Oakham United’s undoing so far this season.

The Tractor Boys have drawn six of their 13 games in the UCL Division One this season, often having to come back to claim a point.

So in many ways it was the same old story on Saturday when Oakham had to fight back from a goal down to get anything from their long trip to Buckingham Town.

The hosts, who Oakham beat 5-2 on the opening day of the season, went ahead in the 41st minute in fortunate circumstances, being awarded a soft penalty for a challenge by Craig Welbourn. Tariq Kotey made no mistake from the spot.

It ended a difficult half for Oakham who perhaps more significantly than the result, lost star striker Lewis Leckie to a recurrence of a thigh injury which kept him out of United’s 5-0 loss to Bourne Town on Tuesday night.

The striker, who is already well into double figures this season, had a pre-match fitness test which he passed untroubled but he pulled up in the 11th minute of the match the first time he tried to put the hammer down.

Oakham’s fitness is second to none in the league and once again they finished strongly, hitting the post twice before getting an equaliser. First Rik Phoenix hit the woodwork and then a stunning overhead kick from Sayers ricocheted off the paintwork.

Andy Sayers scored his first goal for the club five minutes from time, but it was set up in part by Oakham manager Wayne Oldaker, who had just come off the substitutes bench. Oldaker, making a rare appearance, fed in Adam Rothery who had a shot across the face of the goal and Sayers was on hand to fire it in.

Oakham: Simon Dalton, Craig Welbourn (Rik Phoenix), Jamie Maxwell, Robbie Pearce, Gav Cooke, Ben Cox (Wayne Oldaker), Sven Hart, Adam Rothery, Lewis Leckie (Sam Linford), Andy Sayers, Seb Archer-Fern.