Leiston 1-3 Needham Market - Match Report

Leiston went out of the CSS League Challenge Cup at the first attempt this season as they went down 3-1 to Needham Market. Needham will now face St Ives Town next Tuesday in the First Round.

Both sides made changes for the match and it was Leiston who had the first chance after just seven minutes after good work by Quevin Castro set up William Davies but his shot was clawed away by Finlay Shorten. Good work again by Castro a couple of minutes later saw him shoot just wide for the Blues. Luke Ingram shot wide for Needham for their first chance while Jake Jessup saved another Needham attempt with his feet and Dan Morphew shot wide from the corner. The visitors took the lead as Leiston switched off from a free-kick and JOE MARSDEN got the final touch on a Russell Short strike from distance. Much of the play was played in the middle of the park before the interval, with Joshua Hitter firing over from a set piece right on half time.

Needham started the second period better and after getting a corner and free-kick early on, doubled their lead on 49 minutes when good play down the right hand side enabled a cross to be delivered into the penalty area and CALLUM STURGESS netted. It got worse just four minutes later as SIJU ODELUSI was the unfortunate player that the ball came off after a strike outside the area to leave Jake Jessup stranded and the ball trickled over the line. Both sides started to make changes and Leiston pulled a goal back as QUEVIN CASTRO got on the end of a free kick to score into Shorten’s bottom left hand corner. Joe Marsden fired over Jessup’s crossbar on a counter attack for the visitors and as much as Leiston tried, they couldn’t get the second goal to put more pressure on Needham. Needham put lots of decent balls into the box while Kyle Hammond shot wide when well placed and Sebastia Pons Llado shot agonisingly wide as Needham booked their place in the next round.

Leiston now begin the first of three away league games, starting with a trip to Peterborough Sports on Saturday.

FT: - Leiston 1-3 Needham Market.

Line-ups: -

Leiston: - Jessup, Sinclair, Fernandes, Eagle (Kamanzi 45 mins), Odelusi, Clements, Hitter, Gaffer (Hammond 61 mins), Davies (Pons Llado 53 mins), Henry, Castro,

Needham Market: - Shorten, McLaughlin (Dye 45 mins), Tackey Diogo (Godward 61 mins), Kieran Morphew, Dan Morphew, Marsden, Collard, Neal, Ingram (Fitzgerald 78 mins), Sturgess. Sub not used: - Garnham.

Man Of The Match: - Siju Odelusi.

Attendance: - 85.