LEISTON boss Chris Wigger reflected on a busy, but productive, week on the road, and one that has seen the Blues pick up seven points from a possible nine.

Wins at Redditch United on Saturday, Spalding on Tuesday and a 1-1 draw at Hitchin last Tuesday has propelled the Blues up to 12th in the Southern League Premier Central Division table. A good return from three tough away encounters.

“I think the two wins have been solid away performances,” Wigger said.

“If I’m honest I think we should have taken more than a point away from the Hitchin game. We always say a point on the road is a good point. And yes, if you’d given me seven out of nine points from these last three games beforehand, I’d have snatched your hand off.

“Then again, having had the two good wins at Redditch and Spalding, I look back and think Hitchin was a very winnable game for us. But I’d take seven points from nine in home games, let alone away games. I’m definitely pleased with the last three games.”

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After a succession of cup matches, the league ones have come thick and fast for Wigger’s team, and he admits the road trips of the last week or so have galvanised his side even more.

“As much as the Tuesday night games players drove on their own, the journey home from Redditch was a nice trip,” he said.

“I think the boys do benefit from being together. We’re comfortable on home soil, we can compete with anyone. But at these away grounds, we see Leiston fans dotted around the pitch, and we cling onto that. It’s good. A bit of us against the world mentality, and the boys have responded to that.”

Jamar Loza found the back of the net in all three away games. He now has 11 for the season and his goals have been a big boost for Leiston.

“Jamar is on fire at the moment,” Wigger said. “His pace is frightening; he picks up the ball in good areas. He links up the play well with other players.

“We’ve been kind of spoilt in the last few years with players like Finlay Barnes and Ross Crane who are quite happy to take the ball in difficult areas of the pitch and hold onto the ball for a while. And Jamar is another like that. He does it in a different way to the way Finlay and Ross did, and he’s settling into the club now which is great to see. He’s been fantastic for us this season.”

The Blues have no game on Saturday, before a Suffolk Premier Cup tie with Bury Town next Tuesday night at Ram Meadow.

Wigger is looking forward to a good training session, as well as a bit of deserved time off for his team this weekend.

“Training is important, Tuesday-Saturday-Tuesday, it is so hard to fit sessions in, so it will be a much-needed training session at Leiston on Saturday morning. We’ll be working on patterns of play and shape and a few set-pieces.

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“It will also be more of a get-together, will give me a chance to talk about things we’ve done well in games and things I haven’t been so pleased with. And then the lads get a well-deserved break on Saturday afternoon to spend time with their family.

“It’s important when it has been so relentless. You leave the house at 8am and not get back to 9.30pm on an away day. As much as this is what this level of football is about, it is draining, and the boys need a bit of R & R with their families.
“So, this training session couldn’t have come at a better time.”