Merstham 0 Blues 2

The Blues made a first ever trip to the Moatside Stadium to face a Merstham side promoted via the Ryman South play offs. Leiston opted for an attacking line up with John Sands making his first full start of the season while Tom Bullard made his first start following suspension. Merstham came into the game looking for their first points of the season but had suffered defeats against two strong sides in Bognor Regis Town and Dulwich Hamlet. Despite two defeats in their opening two games Merstham started very well, dominating the opening half an hour, pinning the Blues back. Inside the first ten minutes Tommy Hutchings whistled an effort just past the upright then Aaron Rhule was inches from connecting to a through ball, Ashlee Jones smartly off his line to thwart. It was all Merstham and Simon Cooper headed an effort over the bar before Ashlee Jones was called into a flying save to deny Fabio Saraiva. It looked inevitable that the hosts would break the deadlock but the Blues defended stoutly and gradually forced themselves into the game. With less than ten minutes of the half remaining the post and an offside flag denied Leiston the lead. First Patrick Brothers saw a well hit shot strike the upright with the rebound swept home by Christy Finch only for the Assistant to flag for offside. As the half closed home keeper Brannon Daly made a great save to keep out Gareth Heath’s stinging effort.

HT – Merstham 0 Blues 0

After being on the back foot at the start of the opening half, the resumption swayed into the favour of Leiston as within six minutes they were ahead. Patrick Brothers collected Leon Ottley-Gooch’s pass and fired low beyond the dive of the unsighted Brannon Daly. Merstham looked for a swift response but Aaron Rhule’s effort was straight at Ashlee Jones. But the emphasis returned to the visitors and both Leon Ottley-Gooch and Joe Francis were close to doubling the lead. Leiston were now dictating play and it got worse for Merstham in the final quarter of an hour of the game as they were forced to play with ten men after an injury and all three substitutes had been used. Leiston took advantage and sealed the win five minutes from time, Joe Francis smashing home a great effort from outside the box. There was still time for substitute Darren Mills to have a ‘goal’ chalked off for offside as the Blues secured three hard earned points.

FT – Merstham 0 Blues 2

Merstham - Daly, Abnett, Cooper, Olarewaju, Okoye, Kavanagh (Kaffo), Roberts, Samuels (Sawyer), Hutchings, Saraiva, Rhule (Hall). Subs not used – Henriques and Howard

Blues – Jones, Saker, Dunbar, Brothers, Jefford, Bullard, Ottley-Gooch, Heath, Finch (Mills 81 mins), Sands (Boardley 75 mins), Francis (Clark 85 mins). Subs not used – Cunningham and Winter

Man of the Match – Leon Ottley-Gooch

Attendance - 147