Leiston 1-5 Banbury United - Match Report

Basement dwellers Leiston suffered another heavy defeat, this time by a 5-1 margin at the hands of promotion-chasing Banbury United at Victory Road on Saturday afternoon, writes Carl Marston.

New boss Glen Driver, in his second match in charge since his return to the club, handed debuts to new loan recruits Andrew Fennell (from Chelmsford City) and Nathan Stewart (from King's Lynn), in a match sponsored by the LEISTON SUPPORTERS.

This duo operated down either flank, in a 4-2-1-3 formation, and Leiston were ironically the better side in the first period, before shipping goals aplenty in the second half.

Banbury were 1-0 up at the break, via a 16th minute own goal, but they then ran riot with John Mills doubling the lead (59), before striker Jannai Gordon plundered a quickfire hat-trick (61, 67 & 71).

Leiston bagged a consolation goal in stoppage time, thanks to a long-range strike by substitute Jerry Kamanzi.

Leiston belied their lowly position early on, and kept this up for most of the first half, despite trailing at half-time.

Joshua Hitter tried his luck with a 25-yarder which keeper Jack Harding smothered inside the first couple of minutes, and Rhys Henry's shot on the turn was also caught by Henry on five minutes.

A hesitant Harding was almost caught in possession, in the 13th minute, with striker William Davies breathing down his neck. Harding dithered and his clearance was charged down, although the loose ball rolled to safety.

Leiston remained on the front foot and a fierce shot by Davies forced Harding into a scrambled save on the quarter-hour mark.

However, it was Banbury who broke the deadlock, against the run of play, in the 16th minute, from their first corner of the game.

Big striker Jannai Gordon's goal-bound header, from six yards out, was cleared off the goal-line but the ball seemed to ricochet into the net off defender Knights for an own goal.

That was harsh on the Suffolk side, who certainly did not deserve to be 1-0 down at the break.

In fact, they should really have equalised, midway through the first half, when new recruit Fennell had a clear sight of goal, only to balloon his shot over the bar with Eddie Odhiambo quick to close him down.

The visitors did have a chance to double their lead, in the 32nd minute. Gordon teed up John Mills, and his rasping shot was pushed to safety by an acrobatic Beckwith.

Fennell had a lot of joy down the left flank, and he again got behind the Banbury back-line in the 40th minute, only for a defender to hack away before Davies could pounce,

Just before the break, a header by Kyran Clements was deflected over the bar, from a corner, and from the ensuing corner, Henry drilled a low shot straight at Harding.

It was a fairly even first quarter-of-an-hour, before Banbury again showed a killer touch to notch their second in the 59th minute.

Mills ran onto Pablo Haysham's precision through ball and calmly directed his low shot beyond the onrushing Beckwith.

Leiston gifted their opponents a third goal, just two minutes later.

Centre-half Knights hesitated and put his keeper Beckwith under pressure with a back pass. Beckwith dwelt on the ball and was robbed by a grateful Gordon, who had the simple task of firing into an unguarded net.

It was 4-0 to Banbury when Gordon obliged with a superb diving header, from Morgan Roberts' cross, in the 66th minute.

Byron Lawrence curled a shot over the bar, on 70 minutes, as the Blues searched for at least a consolation.

However, it was 5-0 just 60 seconds later as Gordon ran through unopposed to drive home his hat-trick goal, before midfielder Kamanzi drilled home an injury-time goal from the edge of the box to at least see Leiston on the scoresheet.

Line-ups: -

Leiston: Beckwith, Hammond, Clements, Hitter (Kamanzi 68 mins), Knights, Odelusi, Lawrence, Fennell, Davies, Henry (Sinclair, 59 mins) Stewart (Pearce 82 mins). Subs not used: Bacon, Gaffer.

Banbury United: Harding, Roberts, Issac, Westbrook, Hawtin, Odhiambo, Haysham (Ahmed 76 mins), Dias, Roberts, Mills, Gordon ( Fasanmade 81 mins).

MATCH SPONSORS THE LEISTON SUPPORTERS MAN OF THE MATCH: - Byron Lawrence.

Attendance: - 232