THE Blues were held to a fourth consecutive home draw as Bromsgrove Sporting left the Flannery Stadium with a point on Saturday afternoon, writes Craig Cooper.

The Birmingham based side battled hard to share the spoils. But it was a game dominated by Leiston who played some fine football yet couldn’t break down a stubborn Bromsgrove defence.

In their only real chance of the first half, the visitors took the lead in the 42nd minute, Luke Softley heading home at the back post.

However, parity was restored early in the second, Harvey Sayer netting his second goal in as many games on his return to the club in the 50th minute.

From then on it was one-way traffic as the Blues tried to conjure up a winner, but it never came. It’s now just one defeat in eight league games for Leiston, who stay eighth in the Southern League Premier Division Central table.

Chris Wigger brought Seb Dunbar and Eddie Jackson back into the starting XI as Wyatt Hill and Ronnie Blois dropped to the bench. Ben Fowkes and Jude Frostick were still missing from the squad.

Tyrone Lewthwaite shot wide for the away side on eight minutes when well placed before Leiston put their mark on the game.

Sayer had an effort well saved on 14 minutes by the impressive Ellis Litherland who was making his debut after signing on loan from League One Huddersfield Town and then Willie Clemons’ back heel was cleared off the line on 16 minutes.

Ben Batho went close as did Adam Mills and Sayer as the half went on but against the run of play, Bromsgrove took the lead on 42 minutes when Softley headed home from six yards after a good ball into the box.

After the interval, Joao Rangel’s strike was well blocked in the box but 30 seconds later, Sayer showed good skill in the area to wrong-foot Litherland on 50 minutes to level the game.

Jackson nearly put Leiston ahead two minutes later but he hit Litherland’s left-hand post from Mills’ cross. Sayer forced Litherland into another good save before Batho shot over while midfielder Jack Newell tested Billy Johnson on 75 minutes but Johnson saved well.

Rangel went just wide as the game went on before the same player was thwarted by yet another fine stop from Litherland on 93 minutes and after eight minutes of additional time, Bromsgrove cleared a Leiston corner to hold on for a point.

FT: Blues 1 Bromsgrove Sporting 1

Leiston host Needham Market in their next game on Tuesday night in the Suffolk Premier Cup Quarter Finals.

Line-ups;

Blues side: Johnson, Dunbar, Callan-McFadden, Rangel, Alexander, Manly (Blois 62 mins), Mills, Batho (Rayworth 89 mins), Sayer, Clemons. Subs not used: Hill, Jarvis and Mehew.

Bromsgrove Sporting: Litherland, Flint (Arthur 57 mins), Kelly (Duerden 64 mins), Roberts, Rowley, Wynne, Stretton (Bonnick 83 mins), Lewthwaite (Benbow 74 mins), Newell, Softley, Lyden (Shaw 54 mins).

Blues Man Of The Match, selected by Match Sponsor Sue Tugwell: Willie Clemons

Attendance: 201