Reserves 1 Haverhill Borough 2

The Reserves were looking forward to their first match 2016 when they welcomed Haverhill Borough to Victory Road writes Craig Cooper. They started the day in sixth position, having not played for the last five weeks. Kelsey Trotter and Lloyd Clarke were both with the first team but Glenn and Tony still had plenty of players to choose from. The Reserves started well and pinned Haverhill Borough in their own half for the first ten minutes without ever testing keeper Smith too much. Leiston had the slope but were not using it to their advantage. Tom Mansfield was forced off early on with Sam Watling replacing him. The game then burst into life when a mix up between Jack Spurling and the Leiston defence saw Staines in to easily score and give the visitors the lead. Haverhill were now forcing the game and Jack Spurling had to make a couple of tidy saves. However, this was not to wake the home side up as shortly after another mix up from the left hand side saw the defence all at sea and this time Bone forced the ball in. Leiston would come back into the game at the end of the half and forced a couple of corners with Kevin Inglis firing high and wide from the latter.

HT - Reserves 0 Haverhill Borough 2

Neither side made changes at the interval, and the first real chance of the half fell to Camilo Douglas, his lob just going over the away team goal. Bone and Staines were looking dangerous for Haverhill, leading the attack well. Leiston did try to shake it up with Arben Kastrati and Camilo Douglas making way for Aaron Thurlow and Zehn Young. Smith saved well from a shot inside the box, and at the other end Jack Spurling turned a fierce strike round his left upright. Leiston kept going and from a corner, Jack Baker fired in. Jack Baker had another decent effort a minute later, his effort from outside the box was pushed to safety by Smith. It wasn’t to be for the home side, and the referee blew his whistle a couple of minutes later. The home side may have deserved a draw in this game but fair play to our visitors who played some good stuff throughout the afternoon. The Reserves shouldn’t dwell too much on this game, and should look forward to a big game next week when they travel to face Kings Lynn Town Reserves.

FT - Reserves 1 Haverhill Borough 2

Reserves - Spurling, Mansfield (Watling 17 mins), Canham, Inglis, Bell, Marjoram, Oxbrow, Kerslake, Baker, Douglas (Young 70 mins), Kastrati (Thurlow 65 mins). Subs not used - Burman and Oliver.

Haverhill Borough - Smith, Geoghegan, Hardwick, Pater, Watson, Longe, Halls, Milne, Bone, Swallow (Forshaw 76 mins), Staines (Pruden 70 mins). Subs not used - Thomas and Westcott.

Man of the Match -