LEISTON’S wafer-thin play-off hopes were finally extinguished on Saturday as promotion-chasing Halesowen Town ended up comfortable 0-3 winners at the Watson & Hillhouse Stadium, writes Craig Cooper.

'The Yeltz' took a 36th-minute lead through Keiren Donnolly, before Conor Tee’s superb free-kick on the hour doubled their lead. Nine minutes later Tee sealed the points from the spot after handball in the home area. It left Halesowen fourth in the Southern League Premier Central table, while Leiston remained in 10th place.

The win was no more than the west Midlands side and their army of fans deserved. It leaves the Blues with two more games to play this season and both against already-relegated sides, starting with Lowestoft Town on Easter Monday (3pm), before Biggleswade Town head to Victory Road next Saturday (26th).

“They (Halesowen) are a really good side, they could go up this year,” Blues boss Chris Wigger said post-match.

“They have a great following; they played the conditions better than us. We had to play a certain way, the wind the way it was.

“We got done by two set-pieces in the second half, the first one admittedly a great strike. But for us, the quality just wasn’t there.”

Wigger brought back Oliver Yun into the starting XI in place of Rossi Jarvis who was injured. Ismael Fatadjo, Ewan Parlett and Jack Manly came back into the squad.

After a slow start, the visitors nearly took the lead on nine minutes when Joshua Smile curled an effort around Blues' goalkeeper Billy Johnson’s left-hand upright.

Then it was Leiston who nearly took the lead on 20 minutes when Adam Mills forced a good save from Daniel Platt inside the area while four minutes later, Ryan Wollacott headed just wide for Halesowen.

The Midlands club however did get the opening goal on 36 minutes when Donnelly got away from his marker and finished past Johnson into the keeper’s bottom corner. Before the half was out, Reece Flanagan’s strike inside the Blues box was turned away by Johnson.

Leiston began the second period well and Kyran Clements’ early shot nearly deflected into the path of Mills but Platt got out well to claim the ball. Tee nearly added a second for the visitors on 55 minutes, striking Johnson’s crossbar before winning the ball back and striking just wide.

However, after Halesowen won a free kick in the 60th minute, Tee brilliantly curled the ball into Johnson’s top left-hand corner to double the away side's lead.

The game was ended as a contest on 69 minutes when Tee stroked home from the penalty spot after Leiston handled in the box.

Chances were then had to come by, with Halesowen going close late on by Johnson denied sub Alex Cameron with two good saves as the boisterous away fans enjoyed their trip to Suffolk.

FT: Blues 0 Halesowen Town 3

How the sides line up;

Blues: Johnson, Yun, Dunbar, Armin, Clements (Fatadjo 64 mins), Eddie Jackson, Hill (Saunders 64 mins), Alexander (Ryan Jarvis 78 mins), Fowkes (Parlett 90 mins), Quantrell, Mills. Sub not used: Jack Manly.

Halesowen Town: Platt, Cassidy, Mitchell, Smile, Wynter, Wollacott, Parker (Birch 82 mins), Tee (Cameron 88 mins), Donnelly (Wragg 78 mins), Flanagan (Butterfield 86 mins), Manning (Hickman 78 mins).

Blues Match Sponsors, Beach View Holiday Park, Man Of The Match: Eddie Jackson

Attendance: 249