GCE Hire Fleet United Counties Football League
Reserve Division
Saturday 17th January 2026
Harborough Town Under 21’s (4) – (0) ON Chenecks Reserves
Report – Josh Unsworth
Photo – MGK Captures
Harborough Town Under 21’s produced a dominant and assured performance to claim a comprehensive 4–0 victory over ON Chenecks Reserves in a crucial top-of-the-table clash at the Beehive.
With both sides knowing the significance of the fixture in the title race, the opening exchanges were understandably cagey. The Young Bees enjoyed the majority of possession throughout the first 25 minutes, patiently moving the ball and probing for openings, but clear-cut chances were limited as both teams remained disciplined and compact.
Archie O’Donnell came closest early on, cutting in from the left and testing the Cheneck’s goalkeeper with a driven effort. As Harborough continued to apply pressure, the breakthrough finally arrived on the half-hour mark in spectacular fashion.
Sixteen-year-old Leighton McWilliams surged powerfully through the centre of midfield, shrugged off challenges and, from fully 35 yards out, unleashed a stunning strike into the top corner to give the Young Bees a deserved 1–0 lead.
The goal injected further confidence into the hosts, who continued to pile on the pressure for the remainder of the half. Despite controlling the tempo and territory, Harborough were unable to add to their advantage before the interval and went into the break with a narrow but well-earned lead.
The second half began with the same intensity and control, and Harborough doubled their advantage from an indirect free kick. The ball was worked intelligently into the area, where Saad Hamrad reacted quickest to thunder the finish home and make it 2–0.
Substitute Zak Gillespie made an immediate impact after entering the fray on 65 minutes. A perfectly weighted through ball from Corey Birch released Gillespie clean through on goal, and the forward showed great composure to calmly slot past the advancing goalkeeper and extend the lead to 3–0.
The scoring was completed shortly afterwards when Cyprian Mtenga produced some clever play down the left flank, cutting inside before seeing his shot deflected into the net to cap off a dominant afternoon for the Young Bees.
After the game, Head Coach Josh Unsworth said:
“Today was a proper test for us, and I’m absolutely delighted from start to finish. They had two shots all game, none on target, which really speaks volumes about our dominance.
Over the past few months we’ve been working hard with Leighton McWilliams, and what we saw today from a 16-year-old boy was special. He’s a special talent — a great kid too — always wanting to work hard and always listening. The club has a real gem in their ranks.”
A statement performance in a six-pointer, and one that underlined Harborough Town U21’s quality, control, and maturity at the top end of the division.