Royston Town 1-2 Blues - Match Report

Leiston came back to win in the last thirteen minutes of normal time yesterday as they won their second match at Garden Walk in their history. In fact, the Blues have never lost at the ground, drawing 2-2 in the FA Vase in 2010 and claiming a 0-0 draw back in December 2019.

The Blues welcomed club captain Seb Dunbar back while 17 year old Jacobbi Tugman was also included in the matchday squad. The starting eleven remained the same as Lowestoft away three weeks ago.

The Blues started lively and began well. After just three minutes, Adam Mills crossed from the left and Will Davies headed over the crossbar. Three minutes later and Joe Marsden tested Dimitrios Kyriatzis from distance but the keeper took well to his right. Royston’s first chance came when Brandon Adams got put through but Sam Donkin saved well with his right boot. Moments later at the other end, Mills released Finlay Barnes but Kyriatzis did well to smoother and the ball went out for a corner. Barnes and Mills tested Kyriatzis but the keeper did well on both occasions while Royston tried a couple of shots from distance but they came to no avail. On 26 minutes, the deadlock was broken however. Adams was put through and in a situation where it was four on one, he chose to shoot at an angle and the ball went through Donkin’s hands and into the net. Marsden again had a strike that narrowly went wide and Royston broke a couple of more times but the defence stood firm to clear any danger. In the 40th minute, Ollie Saunders put the ball back into the danger area from a corner and Adam Mills connected well but Kyriatzis once again was down well. In the final minute of the half, Jake Hutchings rose well from a free kick and the ball looked to be going into the top corner, but the home keeper somehow clawed the ball away.

The second half was just two minutes old when Jake Hutchings went for a loose ball and Kyriatzis was stunned in the face and after receiving treatment on the pitch, eventually left the field and made way for sub keeper Joe Welch. Leiston continued to play some neat football, with Rob Eagle, George Quantrell and Siju Odelusi linking up well in the middle of the park but Royston were being resolute and restricting clear cut chances. Saunders burst down the left enabled him to delicately deliver to Will Davies but his connection with the ball wasn’t good enough and the ball trickled out of play. Eadie and Wigger then made a tactical double change, introducing Dunbar and Keller for Eagle and Odelusi and it nearly worked instantly but Spencer Keller’s fine shot was somehow palmed wide by Welch, with the ball spinning onto the post and out for a corner! The lively Adams went close but he pulled a shot wide of Donkin’s right hand post but it was mainly Leiston with the impetus now. Finally, on 77 minutes, Finlay Barnes stood up a free kick to find Adam Mills at the back post and he flicked it over Welch and into the far corner for the leveller. The Blues kept pushing and on 87 minutes, Will Davies was pulled back in the box and Finlay Barnes converted into Welch’s bottom right hand corner, sending the keeper the wrong way to give Leiston the lead. In the first of nine minutes added on, Keller was adjudged to have been fouled in the box and the linesman signalled for a penalty. There was a moment where the referee checked with the official but the spot kick stood although this time Welch saved Barnes’ effort down the middle. Keller was denied by Welch and Royston went close at the end with a free kick but Leiston stood firm to deservedly claim all three points.

The Blues now head to Leicestershire next Saturday to face Barwell in their next competitive fixture.

FT: - Royston Town 1-2 Blues.

Line-ups: -

Royston Town: - Kyriatzis (Welch 52 mins), Henry, Brighton, Newton, Mensah (Murray 58 mins), Adams, Titchmarsh, Galliford, Gouldbourne, Bateman, Newman (Brown 70 mins). Subs not used: - Brathwaite, Asafu-Adjaye.

Blues: - Donkin, Marsden, Saunders, Eagle (Dunbar 68 mins), Bailey-Dennis, Hutchings, Barnes, Quantrell, Davies, Odelusi (Keller 68 mins), Mills. Sub not used: - Tugman.

Blues Man Of The Match: - Adam Mills.

Attendance: - 360.