Blues 4 Grays Athletic 1

The Blues reached the Second Qualifying Round of this season's Emirates FA Cup with their seventh straight win of the season in a match sponsored by SYCAMORE PARK. It was certainly a game of two halves at Victory Road as Leiston recovered from a goal deficit to over power fellow Ryman Premier Division Grays Athletic, the hosts scoring three second half goals. Pre kick off both sides and everyone in attendance impeccably observed a minutes silence in memory of former Blues player and long time supporter Brian Driver who sadly passed away during the week. Grays, beaten 4-1 in a League match just 11 days previously, began attacking the Fairground End and with the wind in their favour the Essex side started with great purpose and Lheureux Menga smashed an instinctive long range effort crashing against the home bar with barely a minute played. The visitors were making all the early running allowing Leiston no time in possession and deservedly took the lead on 19 minutes. David Fallah cracking home a loose ball in the home box high into the net. It was no more than Grays deserved as they pinned the hosts back for long spells, rattling up a high corner count. The closest the Blues had come to a response was on 27 minutes, Byron Lawrence seeing a shot flash inches wide across the face of goal from some sustained home pressure. It was against the run of play when the hosts levelled on 38 minutes after Simon Mensah was penalised for a foul on Joe Jefford in the Grays box. Jack Ainsley saw his spot kick well saved by Mikheil Kharshiladze to his left but the ball fell kindly for Ainsley to convert. Suddenly the Blues had a spring in their stride and the half ended a lot more even than the opening 30 odd minutes suggested it would. Most supporters were beginning to take their positions around the ground when Leiston took the lead for the first time, just 39 seconds from the second half whistle. Matt Blake racing clear of the visitors defence was thwarted by Mikheil Kharshiladze with Byron Lawrence firing home the loose ball from just inside the box. Six minutes later Matt Blake pounced from close range for his sixth goal of the season after Mikheil Kharshiladze had blocked Joe Francis' strike from 20 yards.
It was a dramatic turnaround and on the hour mark the tie could have been sealed but after Christy Finch released the over-lapping Seb Dunbar inside the Grays half, the Leiston left back fired over the top. Christy Finch then scooped over after good work by Matt Blake on 67 minutes while Grays reminded the hosts the game was still evenly poised, Lheureux Menga's powerful run through the heart of the Blues defence ended with an effort fractionally wide of Nick Eyre's right hand post. With ten minutes remaining Gareth Heath sealed the Suffolk sides passage into the next round, converting from eight yards after good work from Byron Lawrence down the left by-line.

FT - Blues 4 Grays Athletic 1

Blues - Eyre, Brown (Saker 73 mins), Dunbar, Ainsley, Jefford, Bullard, Lawrence, Heath, Blake, Finch (Ottley-Gooch 78 mins), Francis (Brothers 74 mins). Subs not used - Hastings & Potter.

Grays Athletic - Kharshiladze, Mensah, Mascoll, Wickham (Watkins 80 mins), Osei, Hutchings, Mukanya Kabobola, Cole, Menga, Hayden Smith (Blackwood 62 mins), Fallah. Subs not used - Stuart, Crowley, Sanusi and Pilbeam.

Match Sponsors SYCAMORE PARK Man of the Match - Joe Jefford

Referee - Mr J Frew

Attendance - 253