Match Preview

BLUES v ST ALBANS CITY - MATCH PREVIEW

Match Information
Leiston v St Albans City
Emirates FA Cup 2nd Round Qualifying
3pm kick off
Watson & Hillhouse Stadium, Victory Road, Leiston, IP16 4DQ
Tel: - 01728 832578.

Admission Prices
Adults £12
Concessions £9 (over 65’s)
Students (with ID) £7
U16’s £3
U5’s FREE

As it is the FA Cup tomorrow, it is ALL PAY.

Printed Programme for £2.

Members Bar and Main Hall (Bar) both open from midday, showing the Wolves v Liverpool match (12.30pm kick off).

Refreshments available throughout the day with the snack hatch also open near the club shop.

Car Parking in the main club.

The Blues face St Albans City for the first time in their history tomorrow afternoon in the Emirates FA Cup (3pm kick off).

Leiston put in a good performance on Tuesday but could only manage a 1-1 draw at home to St Ives Town. Ross Crane’s strike with six minutes of normal time secured a point as the Blues remain in 15th place in the league.

This weekend, however, is a chance to have a break from domestic action and try to progress to the next round of one of the world’s most prestigious competitions.

This is the 14th time Leiston have reached the 2nd Round Qualifying stage of the competition. The first time the Blues reached this stage was in 1945-46 (just after World War II) when they received a BYE before drawing 2-2 with Lowestoft Town in the 3rd Round Qualifying at Victory Road but before a Replay was played, Lowestoft were disqualified. Leiston eventually went out of the competition in the next round, losing 9-0 to Chelmsford City.

The Blues reached the 2nd Round Qualifying in the next two seasons before
winning just one game in the 1950’s in the FA Cup (in 1950, a 4-1 win at Bungay Town). The Blues didn’t win a game between 1951 and 1959 in the competition and then didn’t play between 1959 and 2004, a run of 45 years.

A trip to Dellwood Avenue in 2004 saw Leiston draw 1-1 in the Extra Preliminary Round, with Ivan Fryer on target, before Leiston won the Replay 4-1 at home. Leiston went out at home to Tilbury though in the next round, 2-0 at home. The side didn’t reach the 2nd Qualifying Round again until 2008, in which Leiston beat Carshalton Athletic 2-1. Lee McGlone put Leiston ahead on the verge of half time, before Richard Jolly levelled halfway through second period. However, Chris Sillett’s goal with seconds to go in the ninety minutes saw Leiston progress.

St Albans were formed in 1908 and joined the Isthmian League in 1923, winning the league that season and in 1927 and 1928 respectively. They won promotion to the National League in 2006, defeating Histon 2-0 in the Conference South Play-Off final. However, the following year, the club were relegated back to the Conference South. They have reached the First Round 7 times since the 1996-1997 season, most recently getting to Round One in the 2021-2022 campaign. In fact, the club beat Forest Green Rovers, then top of League Two at that stage, 3-2 at home before bowing out to Boreham Wood 4-0 in the Second Round. St Albans also beat Concord Rangers, Met Police and Corinthian Casuals, all in Replays that season.

The Hertfordshire club are currently 11th in the National South, with 13 points from 9 league games, having won 4, lost 4 and drawn 1. They have, however, won their last two league games at home to Dartford (1-0) and Dover (2-0).

The winners of the ties in the FA Cup this weekend will receive £3,375 with the losers getting £1,125.

Leiston have home games against Brantham Athletic (Tuesday) and Coalville Town (next Saturday) to look forward to after tomorrow.

Games featuring Norfolk and Suffolk clubs in the FA Cup 2nd Round Qualifying tomorrow: -

Barton Rovers v Wroxham
Bedford Town v Gorleston
Enfield Town v Felixstowe & Walton United
Hashtag United v Needham Market
Hitchin Town v AFC Sudbury
Kings Lynn Town v Aveley
LEISTON v ST ALBANS CITY.

If there is a draw tomorrow afternoon, there will be a Replay at St Albans City in Hertfordshire on Tuesday evening.