Good work out for Ressies in final pre-season game

Leiston FC Reserves 1 Benhall 3

In their final pre-season friendly before the season opener at home to AFC Sudbury reserves on Friday, Leiston’s reserve side went down 3-1 at home to Benhall.

It was a very evenly matched first 15 minutes as both sides looked to get a measure of each other. Leiston forced the first corner after 10 minutes which came to nothing, whilst Benhall looked dangerous going forward down their left hand side. The first half chance fell to Leiston centre forward Danny Block but he could only steer his header tamely wide, after a good ball in from Nuno on the wide left.

Leiston struggled to settle into any sort of passing pattern as Benhall adopted a more physical approach, although Leiston weren’t without their sins in a competitive first half. Benhall should have taken the lead on 18 minutes after some smart interplay left their attacker bearing down on goal but he could only fire high and wide of the near post.

It was Leiston who went ahead on 21 minutes. Nuno skipped excellently over 2 challenges at the same time and unleashed a rasping 25 yard effort, which took a wicked deflection and looped high over the helpless Benhall keeper and into the net.

Benhall responded brilliantly and missed a golden opportunity to level just 4 minutes later. Former Leiston centre half Chris Wright found himself unmarked 6 yards out but somehow managed to power his header over the bar. It wasn’t long before Benhall got their goal however and it came after more smart work down their left hand side. Kyle Horner was adjudged to have brought down their attacker as he reached the by-line and Sillett slotted home the resulting penalty to level the scores.

Three minutes later and Benhall were ahead. A dreadful mix up between defender and goalkeeper saw a Benhall attacker charge down Whiting’s attempted clearance. The ball rolled into the net and Leiston had gone from 1-0 up to 2-1 down in the space of 5 minutes.

There was only 1 more attack of note in the first half. A long ball over the top of the Benhall defence found Ryan Noy bearing down on goal. The keeper was quick of his line and closed the space down well and managed to block Noy’s goalbound effort.

HT Leiston Reserves 1 Benhall 2

The 2nd half started in much the same fashion as the first after a number of substitutions from both sides. Leiston Keeper Nick Whiting pushed away a low cross early on and the defence managed to scramble the ball clear and the Leiston keeper was called into action again in the 56th minute. Wright had time and space to bring the ball out of defence for the visitors and to pick his pass down the Leiston right. Whiting charged the oncoming attacker down quickly and saved well.

However the visitors sensed this was their opportunity and 3 minutes later Leiston were asleep at a throw in and it was good work down the Benhall right this time that gave the attacker too much time and space to fire the ball low and hard across the Leiston goal and the final touch came off a Leiston leg to make it 3-1.

From here Leiston probed and knocked the ball around well against a visibly tiring Benhall team, but the visitors defended well and Leiston lacked any real creativity and a cutting edge in front of goal and couldn’t create any more meaningful chances.

FT Leiston Reserves 1 Benhall 3

The reserves kick off their season in the Thurlow Nunn 1st division on Friday evening at home to AFC Sudbury reserves. Kick off is 7:45pm