LEISTON host Needham Market on Tuesday night in the Endeavour Automotive Suffolk Premier Cup quarter-finals, with the winner of the tie setting up a semi-final with Bury Town writes Craig Cooper.

The Blues have beaten Lowestoft Town (5-4 win on penalties after the sides drew 2-2 after 90 minutes) and Walsham-le-Willows (3-0) on their travels in the competition so far this season while Needham Market have played just the once in the Suffolk Premier Cup, beating Brantham Athletic 5-0 at home.

Needham beat Leiston 1-0 at The Flannery Stadium in the league just last week, with away substitute Seth Chambers scoring the winner on 76 minutes. However, in the game at Bloomfields in late August last year this campaign, the Blues won 2-1. Ronnie Blois’ early goal was cancelled out by Luke Ingram but Joe McNeil’s late goal in the 84th minute clinched the three points.

There were four league games played over the first weekend of January but Leiston have remained in 10th place in the Southern League Premier Division Central, while Needham Market have dropped a place to 5th in the league table, occupying the final play-off spot.

Kyle Callan-McFadden is expected to be back in the squad, while Jack Manly could return. Eddie Jackson could also return after going off midway through the first half against Needham last week.

PREVIOUS PREMIER CUP MEETINGS

NEEDHAM'S league victory last week saw them win at Leiston for the first time in 15 attempts in the league at Leiston, stretching back to April 2004.

The Blues had previously won 12 and drawn two of the two sides last 14 league meetings at Leiston.

As it stands though, in the Suffolk Premier Cup at least, Leiston have won just one previous meeting in six Suffolk Premier Cup ties against Needham Market.

Their first meeting came in the competition final on Tuesday 22nd April 2008, when the Blues lost 5-4 on penalties to Needham Market after extra time, with the game ending 0-0.

Leiston beat Ipswich Wanderers (5-0, away), Mildenhall Town (3-2, away) and Lowestoft Town (1-0, game played at Woodbridge Town FC) to reach the final. Meanwhile, Needham Market defeated Bury Town (4-1, away), Felixstowe & Walton United (5-0, home) and Kirkley & Pakefield (3-2, game played at Leiston FC).

It would be another eight years before the sides would face each other. This time it was in the semi-finals of the competition on Tuesday March 8th, 2016, at AFC Sudbury FC.

Leiston won 1-0 thanks to Christy Finch’s second minute goal, but the Blues lost 1-0 in the final to Lowestoft Town 3-1, at Portman Road.

The following season, 2016/2017, saw both sides compete in an excellent game which ended 4-4 after extra-time time, but Needham advanced 4-2 on spot kicks, with the semi-final being played at Woodbridge Town FC on Wednesday 15th 2017.

Matt Blake opened the scoring just before the interval, and although Jacob Marsden saved Cameron Norman’s early second half penalty, Kem Izzet did level from the spot moments later in a lively opening to the second half. Joe Jefford headed Leiston back into the lead on 76 minutes but just three minutes later, Luke Ingram equalised to restore parity once again. John Sands put Needham ahead on 86 minutes but Blake levelled in the 92nd minute to take the game to extra time.

Jake Hutchings gave Leiston the lead for a third time in the 105th minute of the match, but Needham equalised again through Sands on 116 minutes. Jack Ainsley saw red for a second bookable offence so Leiston played the last few moments with ten men.

Unfortunately for Leiston, Blake and Ollie Brown had spot kicks saved and Reece Dobson stepped up to score the winning penalty for Needham. Needham would go on to beat Lowestoft Town in the final at Colchester United FC.

The sides met next in the Suffolk Premier Cup on Tuesday 10th March 2020, with Needham winning 1-0 at Leiston in the quarter-finals, after Jose Santa De La Paz’s goal on two minutes gave the away team the win.

The sides were due to play in the First Round of the competition at Bloomfields in the following season, but the season was quickly null and void again due to COVID-19.

In the 2021/2022 campaign, the sides reached the final, which was played at Colchester United FC. But Needham won 5-4 on spot kicks again after the game finished 0-0 after normal time. The match took place on Thursday 21st April 2022.

The final time the two teams met was on Tuesday 18th April 2023, with Needham winning 1-0. Luke Ingram’s penalty halfway through the second half was the difference in the semi-final at Stowmarket Town FC.

Leiston have won the Suffolk Premier Cup twice, in 2018 and 2019, against Bury Town (3-0) and Felixstowe & Walton United (3-2) respectively.

Needham have won the competition on six occasions, winning it four times on the bounce between 2020 and 2024. (2020/2021 season null and void).

FORM GUIDE: -
(Most recent league games first)

BLUES: L W L W W
NEEDHAM MARKET: W L D L W

COMING UP FOR BLUES IN JANUARY

Saturday 10th Jan: Kettering Town (HOME)
Saturday 17th Jan: Stourbridge (HOME)
Tuesday 20th Jan: Alvechurch (HOME)
Saturday 24th Jan: Harborough Town (Away)
Saturday 31st Jan: Royston Town (HOME)

MATCH INFORMATION
Blues v Needham Market
Endeavour Automotive Suffolk Premier Cup Quarter Final
Tuesday, January 6th, 7.45pm kick off
The Flannery Stadium, Victory Road, LTAA, Leiston, Suffolk, IP16 4DQ
Tel: 01728 830308

Admission Prices: Adults £13, Concessions (over 65s) £10, Students (with ID) £8, Under 16's £3, Under 5's Free of charge

Please note season tickets do not count for this clash