LEISTON went out of the FA Trophy at the hands of AFC Sudbury on Saturday afternoon as the West Suffolk hosts got revenge for their league defeat at the Flannery Stadium on Tuesday night, writes Craig Cooper.

Kaidon Tower-King notched both Sudbury goals, adding to his consolation in the previous meeting Tuesday night, with Ben Fowkes grabbing a Leiston equaliser in the second half. The defeat ended a run of five successive victories for Leiston against the ‘Suds’.

Chris Wigger, back in the dug out after missing Tuesday night’s league win against Sudbury with illness, kept an unchanged starting eleven while Adam Mills returned to the squad after injury.

Leiston started well. Just over a minute had been played when Ronnie Blois won the ball in the Sudbury box and the Blues striker laid the ball off to Jude Frostick but the Blues midfielder shot wide of Marcus Garnham’s right hand post.

Moments later and Frostick found Joao Rangel on the right but the Blues player’s cross was headed away by ex-Blues player Kyran Clements.

In the 7th minute, Blois got behind the home defence and the striker’s attempted lob went over Garnham but Sudbury were able to clear easily. Sudbury then started to get a foothold in the game and on 15 minutes, took the lead.

Leiston didn’t deal with a long ball upfield and the ball came to Tower-King who smashed home past Johnson, off the underside of the Blues keeper’s bar.

Leiston did come close to an equaliser when Fowkes’ shot was deflected just wide of Garnham’s left hand post. Leiston struggled for the remainder of the half, mixed with Sudbury putting in a much improved performance from Tuesday night.

Sudbury won a few corners which Leiston dealt with and the hosts should have gone two up on 34 minutes after Johnson made a good initial save, the follow up was somehow put wide.

Sudbury nearly added another 30 seconds into the second period. A ball into the area was flicked on but hit the top of Johnson’s crossbar.

On 50 minutes, Fowkes had two strikes in the area blocked before from the corner, Garnham claimed the set piece.

After plenty of the ball and a period where Leiston started to raise their game, Fowkes restored parity. Rangel picked the ball up in midfield and played the ball to Fowkes on the left and the player got into the area to shoot into Garnham’s bottom left hand corner on 62 minutes.

Garnham took Jack Manly’s cross well on 67 minutes while a minute later, the ex-Blues custodian made a good save to his right to beat away a strike from Rangel.

On 70 minutes, Fowkes crossed into the box but the home defence cleared the ball over their own bar. Cameron Rayworth replaced Wyatt Hill for the Blues as Leiston looked to win the game. After a couple of half chances, Willie Clemons then came on for Frostick.

Rangel and Fowkes had efforts blocked before Eddie Jackson shot at Garnham from a corner.

The home side though went back in the lead on 81 minutes. Tower-King’s corner wasn’t dealt with and went straight in to give the home side a crucial second and what proved to be the winner.

Substitute Mills, on for Manly, crossed from the Blues left on 85 minutes but Sudbury dealt with the situation well.

Mills had an attempt deflect wide on 94 minutes as the Blues could not muster up a goal to send the game to penalties, as the home side celebrated their team's place in round two.

FT: AFC Sudbury 2 Blues 1

Leiston are next in action next weekend when they visit Bromsgrove Sporting in league action.

Line-ups;
AFC Sudbury: Garnham, Turner, Page (Allen 89 mins), Clements, Pearce, (Goredema 71 mins), Salmon, Dettmar, Cox, McKenzie, Tower-King. Subs not used: Robson, Heron and Parsons.

Blues: Johnson, Hill (Rayworth 71 mins), Dunbar, Callan-McFadden, Jackson, Rangel, Alexander, Blois, Manly (Mills 83 mins), Frostick (Clemons 77 mins), Fowkes. Subs not used: Horne and Mehew.

Blues Man Of The Match: Ben Fowkes

Attendance: 245