KICKOFF COUNTDOWN - STOCKTON TOWN
The Blues fell to a 2-0 defeat on Tuesday away to promotion chasing Gainsborough. It was very much a game of two halves with Leek creating the better chances for much of the first 45 minutes but were unable to take their chances coming as close as hitting the woodwork.Strong efforts came from Weir and Hurst, yet the blues pressure couldn’t be converted into goals.

Trinity took the reins in the second half scoring in the 49th minute following a swift move down the left, and although Leek continued to push and eventually find a breakthrough, it was ruled for offside meaning we were still chasing the game for the final 30 minutes. The game was wrapped up in the 81st minute with Charlie Parks finding the back of the net to make it 2-0 and a defeat on the road for The Blues.

Our next opponent is Stockton Town who currently occupy 6th in the league having beaten Ashton United 2-1 on Saturday.
 
The True-Blue Army Will Assemble At?
A home fixture for The Blues – The clubhouse and Blues Bites are open, football will be on the telly prior to the match, and our merchandise will be available to purchase.

We will be wearing our home kit of Blue Shirts, Blue Shorts and White Socks.

How much to get in?

• Adult - £13
• Concession (over 65) - £9
• 18-21 - £9
• Under 18 - £5
• Under 8s – FREE

You can pay on the gate or get your tickets ONLINE in advance here through FANBASE with access to a free digital programme

The Opposition?

• Stockton Town– The Anchors
• Formed – 1979
• Ground – The MAP Group UK Stadium (capacity ~ 2,200)
• Gaffer – Michael Dunwell

Their website?
Stockton Town

How are they doing?
The Anchors are currently 6th place and have played 29 games. Out of those, 14 have been wins while also earning 9 draws and 6 losses. They have scored the second most goals in the league heading into this match having just reached 50 in their last game.  They have lost just twice in their previous 12 matches with one of those being a 2-1 defeat to us in early December, while the other was another 2-1 defeat, this time to Hednesford who are topping the table currently. Despite this impressive form, Stockton are still a few places behind where they finished last season in 3rd place.
 
Their Main Man?
Kevin Hayes is dominating The Anchors’ scoring charts on 14 goals so far this season. Joining Stockton’s first team in October 2016, he has since made over 330 appearances, scoring over 100 goals for them. Hayes has been a key figure throughout the club’s recent history and notably was a major help to them in their Division Two title-winning season and playing a vital role during Stockton’s run to the FA Vase Final at Wembley in 2018. He had a brief stint at Spennymoor Town where he barely featured in the squad before returning to Stockton, where he has remained a consistent and vital player. Certainly a player who will be written into the history books for The Anchors

Their Gaffer?
Michael Dunwell began his football career as a forward, playing for clubs including Hartlepool United, Bishop Auckland, Durham City, and Billingham Synthonia. In 2013, he joined Stockton Town as a player and helped the team clinch the Wearside League title, contributing 18 goals in 26 games. That same year, he transitioned into a player-coach role.
In 2014, Dunwell became Stockton Town’s full-time manager following his retirement and made an impact with the squad instantaneously. He led the team to another Wearside League title in his first season and continued to take them up the non-league pyramid, winning Division Two in the 2016/17 campaign and even reaching the FA Vase Final in 2017–18. More recently, he oversaw the club’s promotion to the Premier Division, which marked a significant milestone in Stockton’s rise under his leadership.

He has built a sturdy foundation at Stockton, turning them from a grassroots club into a semi-professional team with a clear identity. His leadership and local roots have earned him the trust of both the board and fans, and in May 2025 he signed a new three-year contract, keeping him at the club until at least 2028 as they challenge for promotion once again this season.

Stockton Town – have we met before?
The blues have only faced off against The Anchors on three separate occasions. All of those fixtures have come in the past 2 seasons where Leek unfortunately lost both games versus Stockton last season. More recently, Leek have seen success in our last contest with The Anchors as earlier this season we beat them 2-1 with Connor Heath and carl Dickinson scoring our 2 goals. Overall 6 goals have been scored across the 3 games leaving an average of 2 goals per game.