Blues 0 Lowestoft Town 1

In front of their biggest home attendance of the season, the Blues suffered their second defeat in three days as Suffolk rivals Lowestoft Town left Victory Road with all the points in a MATCH SPONSORED BY EDF ENERGY SZC. The Blues shaded possession and chances but they were unable to break down a resilient visitors defence who defended an early lead via an unfortunate own goal from the Blues Seb Dunbar as Leiston's poor home record against Lowestoft Town continues. Glen Driver brought back Tom Bullard, Curtis Haynes-Brown and Seb Dunbar into the starting XI, while Matt Blake and Kyle Hammond dropped to the bench and Harry Knights dropped out of the 16 man squad.

Leiston had an early chance from a corner as away keeper Ben Dudzinski could only palm away as far as Curtis Haynes-Brown but he couldn’t turn in the rebound. Lowestoft took the lead in the 7th minute when a bad back pass from Seb Dunbar was met by Marcus Garnham block tackling Jake Reed but the ball unfortunately cannoned off the advancing Seb Dunbar and trickle into the net. Leiston had another good move which ended with Chris Henderson gliding into the penalty area and he struck an effort that Ben Dudzinski pushed out as far as Jack Ainsley, who rounded the keeper but smashed his strike over the bar from twelve yards. A mix up between Tom Bullard and Marcus Garnham enabled visiting striker Jake Reed to lob the home keeper but his attempt went wide of the right hand post. Reed had another chance moments later when he went rounded Marcus Garnham but the Leiston keeper got back to claw the ball round for a corner. Shaun Bammant had a free header that Marcus Garnham easily dealt with and left back Harry Barker cut in down the left hand side but Garnham was equal to his drive and touched the ball around his right hand upright. Joe Marsden saw a stinging effort that Dudzinski caught and the keeper also claimed well from a corner moments later from the former Lowestoft man. In the final action of the half Seb Dunbar cleared off the line and stopped Lowestoft from going further in the lead as the Blues ended a frustrating half.

In the first thirty seconds of the second period Chris Henderson had an excellent chance from close range but Ben Dudzinski saved with his legs. A couple of minutes later Tom Bullard fired over the bar after Dudzinski had dropped a cross from a corner. Leiston had their third successive decent opportunity in quick succession but Christy Finch shot just off target from Seb Dunbar’s delivery. Leiston brought on Matt Blake in search of a goal and after Leiston had a few half chances that went begging, Chris Henderson’s through ball sent Matt Blake away who took it round Dudzinski but blasted into the side netting. Dudzinski dropped a cross late on and the ball bounced off him but was cleared off the line by a Lowestoft defender. Nico Cotton had the North Suffolk side’s first real sight of goal in the second half in the second minute of stoppages, however he blazed over the top. It didn’t matter because Lowestoft would hold on to take all three points back to the Amber Dew Stadium.

FT - Blues 0 Lowestoft Town 1

Blues - Garnham, Marsden, Dunbar, Haynes-Brown (Blake 71 mins), Bullard (Hammond 86 mins), Jefford, Lawrence, Henderson, Ainsley, Finch, Brothers (Docherty 78 mins). Subs not used - Trotter and Eagle.

Lowestoft Town - Dudzinski, Humphrey, Barker, Fisk, McAuley, Cole, Cotton, Jarvis, Reed, Foy, Bammant (Zielonka 64 mins). Subs not used - Hodd, Smith, Nyadzayo and Putnins.

Match Sponsors EDF ENERGY SZC Man of the Match - Joe Marsden

Attendance - 511