Baffins Milton Rovers manager escaped front row seat for defensive horror show

Leigh left 30 minutes before kick off to watch his son Ashton make his debut for Bognor in the Bostik League.

With Baffins safely in the top 10 and little to play for it was an understandable choice.

He left assistant manager Steve Ledger in charge and his replacement witnessed a defensive horror show.

Despite leading three times the home side slumped to a 4-3 Wessex League premier division defeat at the hands of an energetic Team Solent.

By the end the Solent University students could easily have scored more.

Ledger admitted his team were poor.

He said: ‘We can’t be happy with that and in the second half in particular we were very poor.

‘It all seems very flat

‘When you lead three times and lose it is very difficult take.

‘We couldn’t have wished for a better start going in front inside the first minute.

‘Sometimes, though, scoring so early goes against you.

‘We went into cruise control after that and that is a habit we have been guilty of at times this season.

‘Especially at home we have dominated games at the start but failed to put them to bed.

‘Some of our defending was very poor.’

Callum Dart got Baffins off to a flyer, sending his free-kick from the left into the net via the inside of the far post.

Jason Parrish almost extended the lead but his header was kept out by the goalkeeper.

The students deservedly levelled on 26 minutes with a neat side-foot finish from Ethan Taylor, son of Hawks legend James Taylor.

Team Solent goalkeeper Oliver Pike gifted Parrish a goal.

In an incident packed contest Taylor sent his 53rd-minute penalty against the upright.

Ledger could see the students were becoming increasingly threatening.

The assistant boss added: ‘We never got to terms with their lively front three.

‘They gave our defence all sorts of problems.’

Hisham Kasimu levelled with a superb individual goal

Parrish edged Baffins in front yet again but the visitors would not be contained.

The teams were soon level again before Kasimu scored a goal worthy of winning any game.

From just outside the area he rifled an unstoppable shot right into the top corner of the net.

Leigh has said his squad are playing for their futures at the club.

On this evidence some still have a lot to do to convince him they should be involved next season.

Leigh will be back in charge for the Wessex League Cup semi-final at Hamworthy United on Tuesday evening.