OVERVIEW

LEISTON entertain Banbury United at the Watson & Hillhouse Stadium on Saturday in the Emirates FA Cup Third Round Qualifying, kick off 3pm, writes Craig Cooper.

It’s the Blues fourth home game on the bounce.

The Southern League Premier Division Central draw against St Ives Town last Tuesday evening kept Chris Wigger’s side 10th in the league table, after the Blues conceded a late equaliser to draw 2-2, having gone in the lead in the 83rd-minute.

Ben Fowkes’ fifth goal of the season, and sub Joao Rangel’s third strike of the campaign, were the goalscorers.

Banbury United are 12th in the league, having taken 12 points from 9 games. The two sides drew 1-1 in Oxfordshire in the league in August. Rangel put Leiston ahead early on but the lead lasted for just a few minutes as Reece Styche equalised.

Banbury United have beaten Mangotsfield United 1-0 away and Chasetown on penalties in a replay after the game finished 1-1 in their earlier FA Cup rounds.

Jack Manly and Ronnie Blois are expected to be back in the squad this weekend, while Kyle Callan-McFadden is also hoping to be fit.

Meanwhile, goals from Willie Clemons and Ben Fowkes helped Leiston win 2-1 at Cheshunt in the First Round Qualifying while the Blues won 4-1 at home to Hackney Wick two weeks ago. Two Seb Dunbar penalties, Adam Mills and a Clemons goal saw the side four up at the break, with the away side netting a consolation after the break.

BLUES PREVIOUS THIRD QUALIFYING ROUND MATCHES

LEISTON'S first game at this stage was against Kings Lynn in November 1922, Sydney Gibbs the Leiston Works Athletic scorer in a 3-1 defeat.

In the 1945/46 season, Leiston and Lowestoft Town drew 2-2 at Leiston before Lowestoft were disqualified for fielding an ineligible player. Leiston lost 9-0 at Chelmsford City in the Fourth Round Qualifying.

The following season the Blues lost to Norwich side Gothic 2-0 in a replay at Leiston after the teams drew 4-4 at Gothic.

And that was the last time the Blues played at the Third Round Qualifying stage until October 2008, when Carl Chenery’s side beat Coalville Town 1-0, in front of an attendance of 481. Stuart Boardley got the goal from the penalty spot in the first half. Leiston went on to beat Lewes in a replay before going out at Fleetwood Town 2-0 in Lancashire, with 2,010 people watching on.

The Blues beat North Greenford United 5-1 two years later at the same stage. Gareth Heath netted a hat-trick in the tie.

In October 2015, Boardley was on target again, but Gloucester City won 3-1 in Suffolk, with goalkeeper Ashlee Jones sent off and Gloucester scoring from the resulting penalty. The Blues had beaten AFC Dunstable 1-0 and Tonbridge Angels 3-1 both at home, in their previous games in the competition that season.

A season later, however, Glen Driver’s team won 4-1 at Hungerford Town. After being a goal down with under half hour to play, Matt Blake (2), Heath and Joe Francis were all on the scoresheet as Leiston progressed.

The following season saw the Blues lose 4-2 at National North side Oxford City. Byron Lawrence and Blake were the scorers, with Leiston leading 2-1 with under 20 minutes of normal time remaining.

It took Leiston three years to reach the same stage, with Chris Wigger and Darren Eadie overseeing home wins against Halstead Town (5-0) and Biggleswade Town (5-1) and then away at Leighton Town 2-1. The Blues drew 0-0 at home to higher ranked AFC Telford United, with the side winning 9-8 on penalties, with Sam Donkin saving Telford’s tenth penalty in the shoot out. Leiston’s run was ended narrowly by National League Barnet, 3-2 in the fourth qualifying round.

Adam Mills netted a season later as Leiston lost 3-1 at home to Tamworth while last season, Kyran Clements’ late header earned a 1-1 draw at home to AFC Hornchurch before goals from Eddie Jackson and Jamar Loza (2) led Leiston to a 3-1 win after extra time in the replay.

If there is a draw on Saturday, then the replay will take place at Banbury United onTuesday evening.

FORM GUIDE:

(League games only, most recent first)

BLUES: D D W L W
BANBURY UNITED: L W L L W

BLUES V BANBURY PREVIOUS MEETINGS IN SUFFOLK

April 2019
Blues 0 Banbury United 0

November 2019
Blues 1 Banbury United 5

March 2022
Blues 0 Banbury United 2

April 2025
Blues 3 Banbury United 0

COMING UP FOR THE BLUES

Tuesday 30th Sep: Walsham-Le-Willows (Away) Endeavour Automotive Suffolk Premier Cup Second Round (Subject to no FA Cup replay).
Saturday 4th Oct: Lewes (Away) Isuzu FA Trophy Third Round Qualifying)
Saturday 11th Oct: Stourbridge (Away)
Tuesday 14th Oct: Royston Town (Away)
Saturday 18th Oct: Barwell (Home)
Tuesday 21st Oct: AFC Sudbury (Home)

MATCH INFORMATION
Blues v Banbury United
Emirates FA Cup Third Round Qualifying
Saturday, September 27, 3pm kick-off
Watson & Hillhouse Stadium, Victory Road, LTAA, Leiston, Suffolk, IP16 4DQ
Tel: 01728 830308

Admission Prices: Adults £13, Concessions £10 , Students (with ID) £8, Under16’s £3, Under 5’s Free of charge
This is an ALL PAY game. Season tickets are not valid

Special FA Cup matchday programme available on the turnstiles and in the ground: £2.50

Match Sponsor: Sizewell C.