Blues 2 AFC Sudbury 1

Leiston continue to remain the only unbeaten side in the Ryman Premier Division after this narrow win, their eighth in the League, over Suffolk rivals AFC Sudbury in a match sponsored by SEA SPICE. The Blues scored twice in the first quarter of the second half but were almost made to pay for their profligacy in front of goal as a late goal from the visitors set up an unnecessary tense finale. Leiston remained unchanged from Saturday’s victory over Met Police while the visitors, sitting sixth pre match, included three ex Blues in their squad. In front of the host’s biggest gate of the season, the visitors started strongly and with great purpose but found Jacob Marsden’s goal well protected by a resolute back four. Time and again some clever runs from Luke Callander had the hosts rearguard stretched but such was their determination they refused to allow AFC Sudbury a clear sight of goal. The first real chance of the game came midway through the half and signalled the start of sustained home pressure. Christy Finch meeting Gareth Heath’s corner with a delicious header only to see his effort clawed magnificently away from under the bar from Marcus Garnham. The Sudbury stopper was at it again minutes later denying Tom Bullard’s thumping header from another Gareth Heath corner and then thwarting Christy Finch from the instinctive headed follow up. Sudbury, who had started the stronger, now found themselves on the back foot but contained a threat on the counter with Aaron Greene continually threatening. But Leiston will have felt disappointed not to have gone into the break ahead especially with the quality of deliveries from wide areas into the Sudbury box. After the interval and attacking the Fairground End, it took just seven minutes for the home pressure to tell but the goal came from an unlikely source. Patrick Brothers, who recently celebrated 200 League appearances for the Blues, speculative cross-cum-shot deceived Marcus Garnham and found the net via the left hand upright for his first League goal of the season and his twelfth in total for the Blues. Ten minutes later the majority of the 300 plus crowd were vociferous again as Christy Finch rifled home from fifteen yards low and true to Garnham’s right after a fine interchange between the Leiston striker and Byron Lawrence. Sudbury still looked a threat and sandwiched between the two home goals Sam Bantick forced Jacob Marsden into his face save of the evening, a smart save low to his right. But Leiston continued to pour forward and Matt Blake, Christy Finch, Byron Lawrence and Joe Francis missed a quartet of chances that would have ended the contest. But with twelve minutes left the visitors got a lifeline. A neat one-two on the edge of the Blues box between substitute Liam Wales and skipper James Baker saw the latter, shifted upfront from central defence for the final quarter of an hour, flash a shot beyond the outstretched leg of Jacob Marsden low to his right. Not content on sitting back Leiston searched to kill the game off but leading scorer Matt Blake nodded wide yet another teasing left wing centre. As the game crept into injury time Ryan Henshaw flashed an effort marginally wide and in the fourth minute of stoppages Jack Newman shot across the face of goal. Fortunately it didn’t affect the end scoreline as the Blues extended their lead at the summit of the Ryman Premier Division to four points.

FT - Blues 2 AFC Sudbury 1

Blues - Marsden, Brown, Brothers, Ainsley, Jefford, Bullard, Lawrence (Dunbar 82 mins), Heath, Blake, Finch (Saker 79 mins), Francis. Subs not used - Winter, Schaar and Pelling.

AFC Sudbury - Garnham, Robinson (Mallardo 74 mins), Wilkinson, Tann, Henshaw, Baker, Bantick (Parker 74 mins), Newman, Callander (Wales 74 mins), Eagle, Greene. Subs not used - Dettmar and Watson.

Match Sponsors SEA SPICE Man of the Match - Patrick Brothers

Attendance - 311