LEISTON left Spalding well beaten after four first-half goals for the hosts sealed defeat for Chris Wigger's side on Saturday afternoon, after a 4-1 loss, writes Craig Cooper.

The league leaders from Lincolnshire, showed their credentials, fighting back in style from an early Joao Rangel goal for the Blues, to hammer home four before half-time through Curtis Thompson, Josh McCammon, Bart Cybulski and Yuniku Ceesay. It was a position Leiston never looked likely to recover from.

The Blues battled well in the second period and had good moments, but the damage was done, and the team now regroup ahead of a big Suffolk Premier Cup quarter-final tie at home to Needham Market on Tuesday

Boss, Wigger, brought back Rangel into the Blues starting line-up, with Kyle Callan-McFadden beginning a three game suspension after picking up a straight red card last weekend at home to Real Bedford.

It was an historic day for Blues captain Seb Dunbar, who made his 450th appearance for the club. Only Blake Saker has made more since Leiston first became a Step 6 team.

Wyatt Hill came back into the 16 after missing the last few weeks through injury.

Billy Johnson saved well with his legs after just two minutes, before Eddie Jackson headed away a cross for a corner.

It was Leiston that took the lead though after just six minutes when Rangel shot home smartly from ten yards after Ronnie Blois headed on ball which Ben Fowkes took down the Blues left to cross into the box.

However, the hosts levelled seven minutes later, when Thompson shot home into Leiston goalkeeper Johnson’s bottom left hand corner after Ben Batho did well to head away a delivery from the home team’s right.

On 17 minutes, Spalding took the lead when McCammon put the ball in from close range after a scramble in front of goal from a corner. The Blues couldn’t clear their lines.

The home side were now passing the ball around with conviction, and Johnson had to make a good save in the Blues goal from Jack Roberts, but the ‘Tulips’ added a third in the match when Cybulski headed home a free kick on 29 minutes.

Johnson palmed Roberts’ shot again wide on 35 minutes and saved again from the player two minutes later at a tight angle as the visiting custodian kept the score down.

In the 43rd minute, Adam Mills shot just wide after starting the original move which saw Rangel cross from Leiston’s right.

Spalding though finished the game as a contest on 45 minutes when Ceesay volleyed home inside the box well to net a fourth goal.

Four minutes into the second half and Harvey Sayer shot from just outside the box but Dan Wilks saved to his right.

On 51 minutes, Dunbar, made a good interception for Leiston at the back.

Thompson shot just wide on 54 minutes while Cybulski went close moments later for the home side.

Blois had a good effort well blocked while Johnson took a free kick in the box.

The remainder of the game saw Leiston win some corners but the shots on goal were not forthcoming and the match ended with no more goals being scored by either team.

FT: Spalding United 4 Blues 1

Leiston play on Tuesday night in their next match when they host Needham Market in the Endeavour Automotive Suffolk Premier Cup Quarter Finals.

Line-ups;

Spalding United: -Wilks, Hart (Freeman 86 mins), Olopde, Moore, Johnson, Thompson, Roberts, McCammon (Lawler 86 mins), Cybulski (Sani 60 mins), Sembie-Ferris, Ceesay. Subs not used: Dadge and White.

Blues: Johnson, Batho (Rayworth 64 mins), Dunbar, Jackson, Rangel, Alexander, Blois, Sayer (Parlett 64 mins), Mills, Clemons, Fowkes. Subs not used: Hill, Jarvis and Mehew.

Blues Man Of The Match: Adam Mills

Attendance: 504