Blues 4 Wingate & Finchley 0

The same starting eleven remained from last Saturday as the Blues hosted ninth placed Wingate & Finchley in a MATCH SPONSORED BY FAIRWEATHER LAW.

On a freezing cold afternoon and with a strong wind, Leiston tried to take advantage of the weather conditions first but it was the visitors who went closest but Irnti Rapai’s effort was wide of Marcus Garnham’s right hand post. Leiston had a great opportunity to take the lead when Kyle Hammond’s corner wasn’t dealt with by away keeper Shane Gore but Christy Finch couldn’t quite make the chance count and the chance went begging. Seb Dunbar’s run down the left hand side ended with a good delivery that saw Gore clatter into Jake Reed and Darren Mills but the danger was cleared. Another move on the edge of the area enabled Jake Reed to lay off to Chris Henderson whose strike looked have been touched round the post by Gore but Referee Christopher Resson awarded a goal kick. The hosts took the lead on 18 minutes as Byron Lawrence’s through ball set Christy Finch on his way. His shot was saved by Shane Gore low to his left but Darren Mills was quickest to react and turned in the loose ball from an acute angle. Leiston remained the more dominate side however, Wingate had a good chance of their own but Reece Beckles-Richards put his shot over the crossbar. Towards the end of the half both sides defended well with Leiston and Wingate restricted to long shots.

Shortly after the break, an under hit back pass by captain Sean Cronin let Jake Reed in to bypass Gore and square to Christy Finch from the goal line who had the easy task of finishing from just six yards out. In the 55th minute, Byron Lawrence’s pass allowed Christy Finch to dribble into the penalty area and as he did, he was tripped in the box by Luke Ifil. Jack Ainsley’s penalty was smashed into Shane Gore’s top left hand corner to put the game beyond the visitors. Byron Lawrence shot over the bar while Reece Beckles-Richards attempt was deflected over the top at the other end. Marcus Garnham claimed the corner well in the swirling wind. Substitute Matt Blake’s first touch saw him land the ball on top of the crossbar with a cross and Tommy Tejan-Sie fired just wide for Wingate. Jake Reed shot on the angle from close range but Gore saved well and another decent move ended with Seb Dunbar going close. In the 89th minute and final action of the match, Christy Finch’s teasing delivery was turned into the net by Jake Reed to make it four and it is now three goals in three games for Jake Reed.

FT - Blues 4 Wingate & Finchley 0

Blues - Garnham, Hammond, Dunbar, Ainsley, Jefford, Bullard, Lawrence (Docherty 73 mins), Henderson (Brothers 68 mins), Reed, Finch, Mills (Blake 65 mins). Subs not used - Trotter and Marsden.

Wingate & Finchley - Gore, Ifil (Laney 62 mins), Eadie, Joseph, Cronin, Humphrey (Eales 62 mins), Rapai, Moncur, Charles-Smith (Obafemi 72 mins), Beckles-Richards, Tejan-sie. Subs not used - Alfano and Pattie.

MATCH SPONSORS FAIRWEATHER LAW Man of the Match - Christy Finch

Attendance - 198