Hockey: Leek on a high after going second in National League
There was little to choose between the sides, who had not met in a competitive fixture since Leek's promotion to the National League in 2003.
However, an early Harborne sin-binning was punished when Scott Cordon hit the backboard to make his side's numerical advantage count.
Alex Kotlarzewski always posed a threat on Harborne's left flank, but Leek stretched their lead when Paul Nixon finished off a penalty corner after Paul Dawson's shot was parried by the keeper.
Harborne were a force to be reckoned with when they brought on veteran forward James Wright, who set up Chris Adams to halve the deficit.
Scott Cordon was aggrieved when the umpires failed to give a penalty stroke when he went clean through on goal.
But despite the wet and windy conditions, Leek created chances and were 3-1 ahead just before the interval when Dan O'Neill's shot deceived Steve Boyle in the Harborne goal and bounced home.
Mark Brazier made a couple of important stops as Leek were put under pressure in the second half. Crucially, the keeper managed to save James Bassett's penalty flick after Nixon was penalised for an illegal challenge. He was finally beaten with five minutes left when Luke Lambert pounced to score from close range for Harborne.
But Leek held on after Brazier came up with a point-blank stop to deny a last-gasp Wright effort.
CREWE VAGRANTS suffered an embarrassing afternoon as they were hit for double figures by in-form Wakefield.
The Yorkshire visitors were superior in all departments and dished out a lesson in passing, possession and finishing as they unleashed an avalanche of goals into keeper Andy Farr's goal.
There was some momentary joy for the Vagrants when Pete Cornell cancelled out Simon Ball's opening effort.
But it was one-way traffic after that and Adam Catalano and Greg Moorhouse both hit hat-tricks for the visitors as they ran up a 10-1 victory.
Stuart Stanway was on the mark twice as NORTH STAFFS hit back from successive defeats to beat West Bridgford 3-2.
They got their season back on track when they overcame an early setback to level.
Stanway fired into the roof of the net after Phil Harper got himself to the by-line and drew the West Bridgford back line.
But Bridgford restored their lead through Todd Mills before Jim Venn won a crucial penalty corner.
Rob Colclough reacted quickly to the penalty corner to force home the rebound and from then on North Staffs looked a different side against tiring opponents.
Stanway made the most of another penalty corner to drive home the winning strike.
STONE moved off the bottom of Midlands One after securing their second win of the campaign in style.
They thumped Burton 5-1 with goals from Jonathan Allchin, Laurence Bassett, Elliot Bishton, Mat Holmes and Scott Voicy.
SOUTH CHESHIRE went top of North West One after beating closest rivals Wilmslow 4-2, but TRITON went down 2-1 to Runcorn in North West Four.
Sebastian Lewis and Rob Bagshot fired doubles as BARLASTON trounced Dudley Knights 5-0.
Lewis opened the scoring midway through the first half with a deflected short corner strike.
But it was only in the second period that his side pressed their advantage as they added four more goals, including an effort from Brett Youngman.
Sophie Wright and Emma Colclough were on target for NORTH STAFFS LADIES as they won 2-1 at Edgbaston in Midlands One.
Meanwhile, LEEK LADIES Firsts went close to completing a great second-half fight-back. But they succumbed to a 4-3 defeat at the University of Nottingham.
The Moorlanders were three down shortly after the break, before skipper Hazel Meredith inspired a comeback with two goals.
But Notts scored again, before Meredith completed her hat-trick, and then held out for the win by clearing a Katie James effort off the line in the closing minutes.
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