Blues 5 Woodbridge Town 2

The U18’s produced another very good performance to move seven points above Woodbridge Town at the top of the table with a game in hand. In front of a good crowd, the match got off to a very nervy start with both teams struggling to get a rhythm of any kind going. Charlie Beckwith was off his line early on to deal with a ball over the top of the Leiston defence with the ball ricocheting into Lukas Darling. A good ball into the Leiston penalty area was flicked away by the head of Carl Mayhew before John Steel’s kick went only as far as Jac Garrard but Steel recovered well and saved. A Carl Mayhew run into the box ended with a shot that was deflected but Steel collected easily. Another decent Leiston move saw Jac Garrard shoot from close range but Steel excellently parried behind for a corner. However, from Jac Garrard’s corner Charlie Canham jumped highest to head past Steel and give Leiston the lead in the 20th minute. From the restart, Ryan Chidlow smashed his shot well wide. Woodbridge levelled from a free kick that Harrison Bacon headed in at the back post. The visitors then forced a couple of corners as they finished the half stronger.

Charlie Hughes was booked for Woodbridge at the start of the second period while Alfie Norman was adjudged to have committed a foul from a corner. Substitute Joe Moore jinxed his way down the right flank to deliver a cross but Steel claimed well. The dangerous Josh Leech shot wide of Charlie Beckwith’s right hand post. Leiston regained the lead in the 58th minute. Jac Garrard’s corner wasn’t cleared and Toby Groom fired home the loose ball. The Blues should have doubled their lead a couple of minutes later. Ben Snowling’s run down the left saw him cross which Steel didn’t deal with but Adam Blades lifted the ball over the crossbar. Alfie Norman glanced a header wide while at the other end Charlie Canham made a good challenge and Ryan Chidlow put the ball over the crossbar. Joe Moore put a great ball in from the right hand side and Adam Blades turned and swivelled but his strike was deflected wide. Woodbridge looked to have done enough to clear the danger from a Jac Garrard corner but centre back Charlie Canham put the ball back into the area that left Joe Moore to tap into an empty net. Harrison Bacon struck a post and Leiston somehow cleared after sub Charles Lusher’s free kick. Jac Garrard and Ben Snowling then linked up excellently to tee up Adam Blades who guided the ball into Steel’s bottom left hand corner to finish the match. Jac Garrard tried his luck from the edge of the box but his attempt went wide of Steel’s left hand post. In the 81st minute Adam Blades netted his second and Leiston’s fifth. Once again, Ben Snowling’s individual skill down the left flank enabled him to steer the ball for Adam Blades to neatly wrong foot Steel. Woodbridge scored a consolation goal as Joe Berry finished from close range but the match was out of Woodbridge’s reach by that stage.

FT - Blues 5 Woodbridge Town 2

Blues - Beckwith, Darling, Mayhew, Canham, Norman, Groom, Seaber, Murphy, Blades, Garrard, Snowling. Subs used:- Ling, Pierce, Moore, Roberts. Sub not used- Gacita.

Woodbridge Town - Steel, Murphy, Leech, Munro, Hughes, Bacon, Naylor, Dyer, Conway, Chidlow, Cox. Subs used - Berry, Lusher, Challis. Sub not used- Cox.

Man of the Match - Adam Blades

Attendance - 65