Grays Athletic 1 Blues 1

The Blues, briefly off the top of the Ryman Premier Division for the first time in two months, returned to the summit following this battling draw at Mill Field. Grays Athletic, propping up the Division pre match, belittled their lowly position with an intense performance and on this display will soon be climbing the table. It was not an easy night for the visitors who were pushed and harried throughout and on chances created in either goalmouth a draw was a fair outcome. But if the first twenty minutes were anything to go by you would have not seen beyond an away victory. The Suffolk side made a blistering start neatly and swiftly moving the ball and play around. Inside the first five minutes Tom Winter was denied by Tangara in the home goal with Gareth Heath flashing the rebound wide. It was all Leiston with their passing and movement pleasing on the eye as was the opening goal on 18 minutes. There have been many contenders for goal of the season and here was another as Gareth Heath produced a sublime finish. Byron Lawrence' corner was partially cleared by Tangara with Heath collecting the loose ball wide on the left jinxing inside the defender before delightfully chipping the Grays keeper from a tight angle and the ball landing in the far corner, a very classy finish. But instead of kicking on Grays responded and began to impose themselves on the game forcing Leiston deeper and stoutly defending. The impressive home midfielder Cole forced Jacob Marsden into his first save of the night while dangerous crosses reigned in from either flanks. But it was Leiston who were creating the better openings and a full length save from Tangara denied Byron Lawrence before Joe Jefford glanced a header straight at the Grays stopper unaware of the time he had. The misses proved costly as four minutes before the break the home side levelled. Harry Watkins was afforded to much time to pick his shot and his well hit effort was parried into the net by the unsighted Jacob Marsden. There was still time for Gareth Heath to see a curling free kick turned away by Tangara at full stretch. The resumption saw Grays on the front foot and they really should have taken the lead with two glorious chances in the first five minutes of the half. An inviting cross from Mascoll was met by the head of Hornsley in a central position about eight yards out but he headed over and then moments later excellent play on the Blues goal line by Mukanya Kabobola set up Menga who somehow poked wide from inside the six yard box, a couple of let offs to the home goal. Manager Glenn Driver then made a double change with Christy Finch and the returning Matt Blake replacing Joe Francis and Tom Winter and within minutes Matt Blake was thwarted by a clever block from Tangara as Blake raced onto Christy Finch's pass. Leiston continued to press but found the home defence a tough barrier to crack but some promising advances in wide areas failed to produce any clear cut openings for the visitors. The hosts forays forward were now reduced as Leiston pressed and with ten minutes remaining Christy Finch missed a glorious chance, failing to divert Gareth Heath's corner into the net after the cross found him through a clutch of players. Matt Blake was inches from connecting onto a Byron Lawrence pass inside the box and two headers from crosses were collected high under his bar from Tangara as the Blues had to settle for a point from a tough encounter that saw the hosts move off the bottom of the table.

FT - Grays Athletic 1 Blues 1

Grays Athletic - Tangara, Wickham, Mascoll, Watkins (Stuart 74 mins), Aghatise, Campbell, Mukanya Kabobola, Cole (Osei 87 mins), Menga, Hornsley (Pacquette 62 mins), Fallah. Subs not used - Stansbury and Cunningham

Blues - Marsden, Brown, Dunbar, Ainsley, Jefford, Bullard, Lawrence, Heath, Winter (Finch 54 mins), Brothers (Ottley-Gooch 90 mins), Francis (Blake 54 mins). Subs not used - Saker and Hutchings.

Man of the Match - Ollie Brown

Attendance - 139