OVERVIEW

THE Blues entertain on Hackney Wick on Saturday, 3pm, in the Emirates FA Cup Second Round Qualifying, writes Craig Cooper.

Leiston’s 1-0 win at Bishop’s Stortford on Tuesday night meant that the side moved up to 9th in the league table, although it is still early days with only seven league games played.

The Blues are expected to have Willie Clemons back from international duty.

Leiston first played in the FA Cup in 1919, and played in it regularly until the 1958/1959 season, where they lost to Whitton United 6-2 in the First Round Qualifying.

Between the end of the Second World War and 1959, Leiston reached the Second Round Qualifying on just three occasions. The first time in 1945, they actually received a bye at this stage of the competition, before beating Great Yarmouth Town 3-1 at home the following season in Second Round Qualifying. In 1947, they lost 3-1 at Gothic at this stage.

After a spell of 46 years of not playing in the competition, the Blues played Felixstowe & Walton United in their first game back in the competition in 2004, drawing 1-1 at Dellwood Avenue before winning 4-1 at Victory Road four days later. Unfortunately, the Blues lost 2-0 at home to Tilbury in the Preliminary Round.

Since 2004, Leiston have reached the Second Round Qualifying stage on 12 occasions.
Here they are:-

September 2008
Carshalton Athletic 1 Leiston 2 (Lee McGlone, Chris Sillett)

September 2010
Folkestone Invicta 1 Leiston 1 (Danny Smy)
Replay: Leiston 2 (Gareth Heath (2)) Folkestone Invicta 1

September 2012
Badshot Lea 4 Leiston 2 (Gareth Heath, Tommy Wray)

September 2014
Hendon 4 Leiston 1 (Tom Bullard)

September 2015
Leiston 3 (John Sands (2), Joe Jefford) Tonbridge Angels 1

September 2016
South Park 1 Leiston 4 (Christy Finch (2), Matt Blake, Joe Francis)

September 2017
Leiston 4 (Christy Finch (2), Chris Henderson, Joe Jefford) Crowborough Athletic 2

September 2018
Leiston 3 (Matt Blake (2), Joe Jefford) Hastings United 4

September 2020
Leighton Town 1 Leiston 2 (Liam Jackson, Will Davies)

September 2021
King’s Langley 1 Leiston 1 (Finlay Barnes)
Replay: Leiston 3 (Finlay Barnes, Jamie Eaton-Collins, Joe Marsden) King’s Langley 1

September 2023
Leiston 1 (Kieran Higgs) St Albans City 2

September 2024
Brentwood Town 2 Leiston 2 (Toby Stevenson OG, Jamar Loza)
Leiston 3 (George Quantrell (2), Ismael Fatadjo) Brentwood Town 1

MEET HACKNEY WICK

HACKNEY Wick play in the Essex Senior League (Step 5) and sit in 8th place currently, having taken 10 points from their opening six league games. (Winning 3, losing 2, drawing 1).

The side were founded in 1995, playing under the name of Bari FC, before coming Hackney Wick in 2015. They play their home games at Spa Road, sharing with Witham Town FC.

They were relegated in 2017-2018 from the Essex Senior League but won the play-offs of the Thurlow Nunn First Division South beating Hutton 4-1 in the semi-finals before beating Rayleigh Town 2-0 in the final. They won their respective League Cup last season, beating Harlow Town 2-1 in the final.

Hackney Wick have won 2-1 at Bearsted, beaten Bognor Regis Town 3-1 at home and in the previous round, won 2-1 at Knaphill to reach the Second Round Qualifying stage. They also beat Wormley Rovers 7-1 in the FA Vase a couple of weeks back.

Issa Sidibe is their leading scorer with 8 goals, Leonardo Pola Lopete and Adam Cheniti have five goals each.

If there is a draw on Saturday, the Replay will take place on Wednesday night (17th September).

Saturday’s winners will earn £3,375 while the losers receive £1,175.

BLUES LEAGUE GAMES IN SEPTEMBER

Saturday 20th: Harborough Town (HOME)
Tuesday 23rd: St Ives Town (HOME)

MATCH INFORMATION
Blues v Hackney Wick
Emirates FA Cup Second Round Qualifying
Saturday, September 13, 3pm.
Watson & Hillhouse Stadium, Victory Road, LTAA, Leiston, Suffolk, IP16 4DQ
Tel: 01728 830308

Admission Prices
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS AN ALL PAY CUP TIE SO SEASON TICKETS ARE NOT VALID

Adults £13, Concessions (over 65’s) £10, Students (with ID) £8, Under 16’s £3, Under 5’s Free of charge
Printed souvenir matchday programme available at turnstiles and in the ground: £2.50