Blues 3 Paulton Rovers 2

Leiston reached the Third Qualifying Round of the FA Trophy for the second time in three years after holding off a fight back from Paulton Rovers in a match sponsored by HSBC. The Blues, who were two goals ahead at the interval, were pegged back before a fortuitous goal ‘off’ Leon Ottley-Gooch booked the hosts passage. Leiston were without the suspended Joe Francis and welcomed back Danny Gay, Gareth Heath, Conor Hubble and Craig Parker who all missed the midweek League Cup defeat at Sudbury and got off to a flying start. Quickly out of the blocks Leiston pushed Paulton back onto their heels and the opening quarter of an hour saw the hosts well on top. The Bristol based visitors, who stayed overnight in Ipswich, were finding it hard going against the speedy Patrick Brothers and Tom Winter down the flanks. It was Tom Winter who had the first effort, forcing Kyle Phillips into a high save but Referee Block deemed there was no save made which incensed the home players and crowd. Conor Hubble then saw a shot from the edge of the box go narrowly wide before Kyle Phillips made a flying save to his left to keep out Patrick Brothers effort. The respite was momentarily as from the resulting Stuart Boardley corner skipper Joe Jefford out jumped his marker to squeeze his header just inside the post with Kyle Phillips at full stretch. Had Paulton had a man on the post he would have surely cleared the header but Leiston were not complaining. Little had been seen of the visitors but within six minutes they almost levelled with their first meaningful attack. A fine diagonal pass from defence released Brandon Barnes wide left who skipped around Blake Saker and with Danny Gay to beat, he clipped his shot beyond him only to see his effort bounce off the far post and to safety. Play soon switched to the Fairground End and that man Kyle Phillips made another fine save to deny Conor Hubble. With Leiston on top they doubled their lead after some terrible defending three minutes before the break. They seemed no real danger as Stuart Boardley’s lofted centre found its way into the box. But the visiting defenders hesitated expecting Phillips to gather and only proceeded in getting into each other’s way allowing Tom Winter to seize onto the loose ball and skirt around Stuart Tovey before rolling the ball into the net.

The hosts interval lead was no more than they deserved but there must have been a few words said in the Paulton dressing room as they were out and raring to go several minutes ahead of the Blues. Trailing by two goals Rovers had nothing to lose and seven minutes into the half they reduced the deficit. The lively Brandon Barnes showed some excellent skill inside the home box to create space before smashing his shot high into Danny Gay’s goal. The setback stunned the Blues and for several minutes Paulton pushed Leiston back. The tie was now wide open and on 64 minutes the visitors pounced to level the tie. Conor Hubble was penalised wide on the visitors right and from the free kick Leiston failed to clear and Dean Evans pounced to stab home the equaliser. Rovers had certainly started the second half in determined fashion and just like the previous round at Victory Road, a two goal half time deficit had been over turned. Leiston finally settled and six minutes after the equaliser got their noses in front again, albeit somewhat fortuitously. Some good build up down the right wing ended with a pass inside to Conor Hubble whose 25 yard shot hit Leon Ottley-Gooch inside the box, wrong footing Kyle Phillips and ending up inside the net. Ahead the hosts were not going to relinquish the lead and ten minutes from time Leon Ottley-Gooch thought he had grabbed his second and the fourth goal as he looked to have scrambled home Tom Winter’s cross over the line but Referee Block spotted an infringement. Tom Winter flashed a shot across the face of goal and Kyle Phillips saved from Leon Ottley-Gooch as Leiston ended the game as they begun it, on top, to book their place in the Third Qualifying Round.

FT – Leiston 3 Paulton Rovers 2

Blues line up – Gay, Saker, Boardley, Mitchell (Parker 45 mins), Jefford, Tann, Winter, Heath, Ottley-Gooch 58, Hubble, Brothers. Subs not used – Merritt, Block and Rossis.

Goals – Jefford 26 mins, Winter 42 mins, Ottley-Gooch 70 mins (Leiston). Barnes 52 mins, Evans 64 mins (Paulton Rovers)

HSBC Man of the Match – Leon Ottley-Gooch

Attendance - 185