Blues 3 Thurrock 1

Blues striker Matt Blake broke his duck for the season with two carbon copy goals, one in each half were enough to see off a hard working Thurrock at Victory Road in a MATCH SPONSORED BY ALAN GODBOLD PROPERTIES LTD. Sandwiched in between his goals was a Jack Ainsley penalty as Leiston remain the only unbeaten side in the BOSTIK Premier Division.

The Blues were minus the suspended Dominic Docherty, injured Seb Dunbar and the holidaying Christy Finch but Patrick Brothers returned to the bench. It took Leiston just a couple of minutes to create their first chance when Regan Pelling's excellent through ball sent Matt Blake scampering through, but former Lowestoft keeper Jake Jessup saved well. Reece Morgan then tested Marcus Garnham, but the Leiston keeper was equal to his effort. From a corner the unmarked Morgan had another opportunity but his effort was well blocked by Marcus Garnham on his line. The game was certainly now beginning to open up and after 28 minutes the home side went ahead when Matt Blake got goalside of a Thurrock defender from Chris Henderson's pass to finish well from a tight angle underneath Jessup to open his account for the season. The Blues striker then went down inside the box with his team mates claiming a penalty but their claims were waved away. But minutes later Leiston doubled their advantage when, after a somewhat dubious handball decision, Jack Ainsley planted his penalty past Jessup's outstretched hand to his left. The visitors got themselves back into the game right on the stroke of half time when a shot rebounded off the post allowing the impressive Reece Morgan to fire in from close range despite the best efforts of Marcus Garnham. Leiston restored their two goal cushion early in the second half when the impressive Regan Pelling sent Matt Blake clear & after holding off a defender he again finished clinically from a tight angle wide on the right underneath Jessup. After the third goal Leiston were able to contain the visitors & despite their efforts Thurrock were restricted to few clear cut chances, however right at the death Marcus Garnham had to be at his best to beat away a decent free kick & then deep in to stoppage time he somehow kept the ball out with an acrobatic save low to his right from Morgan's close range effort to maintain the home sides two goal cushion & secure the three points.

FT - Blues 3 Thurrock 1

Blues - Garnham, Hammond, Marsden, Ainsley (Brothers 50 mins), Jefford, Bullard, Lawrence, Henderson (Burman 88 mins), Blake, Pelling, Eagle (Ford 64 mins). Sub not used - Lay-Fulcher.

Thurrock - Jessup, Morgan, Sutton, Osifuwa, G Winn, Clark (Price 71 mins), Christou, Spence, Goode (Ayoola 72 mins), R Winn (Vaughan 80 mins), Nouble. Sub not used - Pitts.

Match Sponsors ALAN GODBOLD PROPERTIES LIMITED Man of the Match - Marcus Garnham

Attendance - 253