Leiston 1-2 Alvechurch - Match Report

Saturday brought another defeat for the Blues, but they will feel as though they should have got something out of the game. The match kicked off late due to the Alvechurch team bus being stuck in traffic on the A14.

Boss Stuart Boardley included new signing Siju Odelusi in the squad while he gave Spanish player Sebastia Pons Llado a first start.

The match started off slowly with both sides failing to stamp their authority. Byron Lawrence had a free kick blocked and he striked the follow up wide of the target. Both teams were defending well while both attacks were struggling. The away side took the lead however in the 28th minute when JOSHUA EZEWELE ran at the Blues defence and was allowed to run into the box unchallenged and side foot into Charlie Beckwith’s bottom right hand corner. Four minutes later and Byron Lawrence struck over the crossbar with possibly better options to pass either side of him. But it was the visitors who grabbed the second goal just five minutes before the break when HARRY KNIGHTS’ back pass deceived Charlie Beckwith and found the net. Alvechurch didn’t even celebrate the goal. That was the last action of the half as the referee blew for the interval.

Leiston came out and ran themselves into the ground for the whole of the second half. Kyle Morrison shot over on the edge of the area early on, but Leiston pulled a goal back eight minutes into the second period as LLOYD RANSOME palmed a Byron Lawrence corner into his own net. The home supporters got behind their team at this stage and Kyle Hammond tested Ransome from outside the area but the keeper pushed his effort away. Ryan Sharman headed straight at Ransome from the resultant corner. Jerry Kamanzi made it easy for the away custodian just moments later while sub John Atherton struck the ball well at the other end for ‘The Church’ but Kyle Hammond deflected the ball wide. The same player went close as the game neared its conclusion, and the home side nearly levelled late on but were denied by two great blocks as Joshua Hitter and Jerry Kamanzi went close but it wasn’t to be.

Leiston have no game in the week but travel to either Ware or FC Romania in the Emirates FA Cup First Qualifying Round this weekend.

FT: - Leiston 1-2 Alvechurch.

Line-ups: -

Leiston: - Beckwith, Hammond, Woerndl (Odelusi 45 mins), Kamanzi, Knights (Keys 45+2 mins, Henry 79 mins), Clements, Lawrence, McKeown, Hitter, Sharman, Pons Llado. Subs not used: - Parrondo, Jessup.

Alvechurch: - Ransome, Morrison, Rowley, Goddard, Willets, Nabi (Till 71 mins), Usher-Shipway (Atherton 66 mins), Da Veiga Monteiro, Nesbitt (Roberts 63 mins), Archer, Ezewele. Subs not used: - Gilpin, Reeves.

Man Of The Match: - Rory McKeown.

Attendance: - 154.