LEISTON drew 2-2 at the Brentwood Centre Arena to remain in the hat in the greatest cup competition in the world.

The Blues kept the same starting XI as Tuesday night (3-2 victory against AFC Sudbury) while Marcus Mehew came onto the bench to back up Billy Johnson in the Blues goal.

Brentwood came at Leiston in the first 20 seconds of the tie, with keeper Billy Johnson getting down to a low cross in the area.

With Leiston playing in yellow, they took the lead on six minutes as Ismael Fatadjo controlled a ball over the home defence and went to the byline to pull the ball back and the unfortunate Toby Stevenson could only put the ball in his own goal and wrong foot keeper Melvin Minter to give Leiston the lead. Two minutes later, and Fatadjo put in George Quantrell but the Blues player shot straight at Minter although the offside flag was raised.

Brentwood had a great chance to level on 12 minutes when Andy Freeman was presented with a good opportunity inside the box but Billy Johnson made a good save to his right and Leiston cleared. Good play by Ben Fowkes and Quantrell released Loza inside the box on 21 minutes but the striker had his effort blocked. A minute later, and Fraser Alexander went down to get treatment but it was Ollie Saunders who went off as precaution with a tight hamstring to be replaced by club captain Seb Dunbar.

The Brentwood equaliser came on 30 minutes. Johnson made a good save with his legs from Kai Brown but the ball eventually came back to Stevenson and the defender made up for his own goal to strike into the roof of Johnson’s net to level the scores. Brown had a good chance to put the hosts ahead but Johnson saved from eight yards.

On 38 minutes, Loza volleyed just outside the box and Minter made an acrobatic save to his left to thwart the Blues player. Loza was put in shortly after from Fatadjo but he got the Minter’s left hand upright. Late in the half, Johnson made a great save on the edge of the box and the follow up was out wide from Brentwood as the half ended all square.

Quantrell did well on Leiston’s right hand side five minutes into the second period but his cross went wide of Minter’s right hand post, with no Blues player on hand to turn the ball into the net.

Brown shot at Johnson once more on 53 minutes before Leiston won a free kick at an angle but Alexander’s flighted ball was headed away by Connor Witherspoon.

Leiston went in front for a second time on 59 minutes. Dunbar did well to get forward down the left and slipped in Loza, who got into the box and his strike to a deflection to wrong foot Minter and the ball ended in the keeper’s bottom left hand corner.

Wyatt Hill joined Dunbar (who had been booked at the end of the first period) in the book on 62 minutes before Dunbar did well to block a cross and then Johnson came to catch a deep ball in the area.

Dunbar again ventured into the Brentwood half on 70 minutes to pass to Loza and the Blues player was denied by a double block by Brentwood. On 76 minutes, Manly nearly got Leiston’s third goal but Minter saved to his right after Loza found the Blues player.

Fowkes cut inside on 81 minutes but shot straight at Minter while on 84 minutes, Eddie Jackson did well to head sun Rob Harvey’s cross away. On 89 minutes, Jackson again headed away Harvey’s ball but the ball again went out wide and Lee Noble turned home inside the box to again level for Brentwood.

Leiston came at Brentwood late on, although Brentwood put another good ball into the box but Johnson made a great save although the flag was up for offside. When Fowkes’ cross was cleared as the game entered the 96th minute, referee Daniel Blades finally blew for full time.

FT: - Brentwood Town 2-2 Blues.

Both teams will now meet in Suffolk on Tuesday night to decide who goes through to the Third Round Qualifying. Kick-off 7.45pm.

Line-ups: -
Brentwood Town: - Minter, Mzengo (sub Harvey 76 mins), Stevenson, Witherspoon, Cripps, Anderson, Noble, Ogunleye, Vaivada (sub Hogan 90 mins), Brown, Freeman. Subs not used: - Olukolo, Elsey, Craig.
Blues: - Johnson, Yun, Saunders (sub Dunbar 24 mins), Eddie Jackson, Fatadjo (sub Manly 71 mins), Alexander, Fowkes, Quantrell, Loza, Ryan Jarvis, Hill (sub Batho 81 mins). Subs not used: - Clements, Rossi Jarvis, Mehew.

Blues Man Of The Match: - Billy Johnson.
Attendance: - 364.

IF YOU WOULD like to sponsor the match against Brentwood Town on Tuesday night and be part of an FA Cup night under the lights at Victory Road, contact Andy Crisp on 07769 904555