Leiston 0-1 Needham Market - Match Report

Leiston went out of the Turners Hyundai Suffolk Premier Cup last night in the quarter-finals after a run of 9 wins in the competition as there was to be no hat-trick of victories at Portman Road, in a match sponsored by HOOPERS ARCHITECTS LTD with supporters CHRIS ELLINS and PAUL ANDREWS donating towards the Match Ball.

The Blues had no Kyle Hammond and Tyler Christian-Law for the match while Josh Hitter came into the starting eleven.

Needham started off the match well and they had an early effort that just went wide of Sam Donkin’s left hand post but they did take the lead in just the second minute as Sam Donkin could only parry the initial shot by Craig Parker into the path of JOSE SANTA DE LA PAZ and he had the simplest of tasks to side foot the ball home into an empty net. Robert Harvey teed up Rhys Henry with the Blues first attempt of the match but his strike was well wide. Luke Ingram went close after good work by Callum Page as Needham were knocking the ball around well. Ollie Saunders and George Keys were booked for late challenges in the half while Josh Hitter went close for Leiston, striking from a full 40 yards to force ex Blues keeper Marcus Garnham into a good save to his right. In the second minute of time added on at the end of the first half, Byron Lawrence could only curl a free kick into the hands of Garnham.

Needham came out full of confidence after the interval and Adam Mills’ free kick was well blocked by the Leiston defence before a well worked move by the away side ended with Callum Page smashing the crossbar. Shortly later, Leiston were caught in possession at the back and Page ran through but Donkin denied him with a decent save. Glen Driver and Tony Kinsella brought on Rob Eagle and Will Davies in place of Isaac Skubich and Rhys Henry respectively and the two subs linked up with Eagle’s ball just going over the head of Davies at the back post. Luke Ingram once again shot wide of the target while Rob Harvey tried his luck outside the penalty area but likewise the ball sailed wide. Late on, the Blues picked up bookings while Noel Aitkens received two yellow cards in three minutes to be red carded. Leiston battled hard but it wasn’t too be as Needham booked their place in the semi-finals of the competition to join Stowmarket Town, Bury Town and Lowestoft Town.

FT: - Leiston 0-1 Needham Market.

Line-ups: -

Leiston: - Donkin, Keys, Saunders, Aitkens, Knights, Hutchings, Lawrence, Skubich (Eagle 58 mins), Hitter, Henry (Davies 58 mins), Harvey. Subs not used: - Allen, Pearce.

Needham Market: - Garnham, Dye, Mills, Noah Collard, Kieran Morphew, Dan Morphew (Euan Collard 71 mins), De La Paz (Hunt 72 mins), Heath, Ingram, Parker, Page. Subs not used: - Godward, Shorten.

Match Sponsor Hoopers Architects Ltd Man Of The Match: - Harry Knights.

Attendance: - 138.