TRAFFORD crashed to a disastrous 3-0 defeat against fellow promotion hopefuls Leek Town in their Evo-Stik West clash at the First Point Shawe View Stadium on Saturday.

The visitors were on top from the start and took the lead after just seven minutes when Trafford goalkeeper Elliot Wynne carelessly conceded a penalty that Aaron Bott slotted into the bottom corner.

Darren Chadwick headed straight at Wynne as Leek continued to push forward and in the 23rd minute their advantage was doubled when a long throw from the left was headed past his own goalkeeper by debutant centre-back Matty Hughes.

Another long throw ended with Wynne gathering a Bott header and Trafford manager Tom Baker finally lost patience with his team six minutes before half time when he introduced substitutes Aaron Burns and Matty Bryan at the expense of Liam Ellis and Declan Rydings.

This move failed to have the desired effect and after Leek striker Daniel Trickett-Smith fired just wide in the 46th minute, Bott struck again six minutes later when he rounded off a slick move down the right with a clinical finish inside the right-hand post.

Bott could have completed his hat-trick shortly afterwards but screwed his shot wide from a good position and Trafford manufactured their first attempt at goal in the 66th minute when Ross Davidson headed a Lewis Nightingale corner just past the far post.

Trafford realised it wasn’t to be their day in the 74th minute when the referee awarded them a penalty for an apparent foul on Lewis Nightingale.

However, the referee then conferred with his assistant who was 50 yards from the incident and bizarrely restarted play with a dropped ball which, to Trafford’s anguish, came to nothing.

To their credit, Trafford fought to the end and Burns struck a fierce angled drive that was held by Daniel Roberts before Leek danger man Bott headed wide from close range.

The final whistle signalled an excellent win by the impressive Leek outfit and a disappointing defeat for Trafford who slip down to seventh place in the league table.

On Saturday, Trafford are in action once again at the First Point Shawe View Stadium when they entertain Newcastle Town, kick off 3pm.