Blues 4 Crowborough Athletic 2

Leiston made one change for this FA Cup Second Round Qualifying match against Crowborough Athletic with Joe Marsden coming in for the injured Kyle Hammond in a MATCH SPONSORED BY HAVEN LOGISTICS. Blake Saker, Adam Blades and Harry Lay-Fulcher came into the squad as Glenn Driver named seven substitutes.

Leiston came out of the blocks well in the opening stages of this match and Joe Marsden got forward down the right early on to cross for Seb Dunbar who's header went over the bar. Christy Finch had an effort after he got away from a Crowborough defender but his shot went just wide of the goal. Crowborough's first attack saw a ball put into the box for Sam Carrington at the back post but it looped over him and out of play. Leiston took the lead in the 12th minute when a Byron Lawrence corner was met by the head of Joe Jefford to powerfully head home to give Dan Ellis in the away goal no chance. Crowborough had their first effort on goal two minutes later when captain Henry Muggeridge's delivery found Sam Carrington but his header went wide. The lively Zac Attwood had an excellent chance but Marcus Garnham stood up well to block and clear the danger. Another Crowborough corner saw Dominic Docherty head back across goal and Sam Carrington smashed over as the game began to open up. The hosts doubled their lead in the 23rd minute. Good build up play by Chris Henderson and Byron Lawrence linked up well to tee up Christy Finch who turned his man inside the box and left Ellis watching as he steered the ball into the keeper's bottom left hand corner. Marcus Garnham spread himself well to keep out an attempt by Sam Carrington, with Joe Jefford clearing up for Leiston as the visitors pressed for a way back into the game. Jack Ainsley, Dominic Docherty and Chris Henderson all had decent chances to extend Leiston's lead, but the latter would add a third when he smashed in from twenty yards. Again some neat play resulted in Joe Marsden finding the former Lowestoft midfielder in acres of space and he had time to fire a stinging twenty five yard effort low to Ellis' left for his first Leiston goal. Moments later Matt Blake was through on goal but Dan Ellis got down well to smother his shot. The final chance of the half fell t the visitors but James White's effort long range effort was high and wide.

The first attempt of the second period fell to Leiston when Seb Dunbar got in behind the away defence to find Matt Blake who saw his drilled effort well palmed away by Dan Ellis. Marcus Garnham was then called into action when he first punched away a cross and then palmed Sam Carrington's effort round a post. Reece Connolly's curling shot saw Marcus Garnham again tip over. A Leiston break away saw Chris Henderson pass to Byron Lawrence who's rasping drive had Dan Ellis pushing out to safety. Zac Attwood saw his attempt pushed over by Marcus Garnham as the game ebbed and flowed with great entertainment. Matt Blake then blocked an attempted clearance from a Crowborough player and saw the ball smack against the crossbar. Reece Connolly netted a deserved goal for the visitors when he cut inside from the left hand side to curl excellently out of the reach of Marcus Garnham. Both sides were now making substitutions to try and have an effect on the match. Leiston all but killed off the tie when Byron Lawrence found Christy Finch who made no mistake from the edge of the box, firing high into the roof of the net. Sub Connor Pring hit a free kick from thirty yards that Marcus Garnham brilliantly tipped over the bar as the visitors still posed a threat. With the ninety minutes nearly up, Jack Ainsley's back pass surprised Marcus Garnham from his own place kick and ended up in the net, with Garnham doing his upmost to stop the ball. The last kick of the match saw Marcus Garnham brilliantly fist a Zac Attwood header onto the post with captain Tom Bullard clearing off the line to safety.

FT - Blues 4 Crowborough Athletic 2

Blues - Garnham, Marsden, Dunbar, Ainsley, Jefford (Eagle 67 mins), Bullard, Lawrence, Henderson, Blake (Pelling 83 mins), Finch, Docherty (Brothers 70 mins). Subs not used - Ford, Saker, Blades and Lay-Fulcher.

Crowborough Athletic - Ellis, Clarke, Crabb, White, Turner, Tear, Muggeridge, Unwin (Pring 73 mins), Attwood, Carrington (Mici 83 mins), Connoly (Pearson 80 mins). Subs not used - Barton, Boddy, Goldsmith and Smith.

Match Sponsors HAVEN LOGISTICS Man of the Match - Byron Lawrence

Attendance - 234