Ware 5-1 Leiston - Match Report

The Blues suffered their worst FA Cup defeat for 62 years on Saturday as they went down to Hertfordshire side Ware. They haven’t loss by four goals in an FA Cup match since they suffered an 8-1 defeat to Bury Town in 1957.

Stuart Boardley put all three loan signings in his starting eleven as Leiston tried to progress to the next round of the competition.

However, the Blues started poorly and went a goal down in the first minute as a cross from the right hand side found LIAM HOPE who sidefooted his volley home with no one marking him. Moments later and the same player shot over when well placed. Leiston’s forced a couple of the corners first half but failed to have a single effort on goal. Leigh Rose headed over from a free kick for Ware while Harry Norman’s excellent work down the right enabled him to cross the ball but no one could get on the end of it. Charlie Beckwith made a good save from a header after a free kick as Leiston, playing in all orange, tried to stem the flow of Ware attacks. Beckwith made a decent save from Thomas Bruno and then Liam Hope, but just as Leiston looked as though they had got to half time, Ware extended their lead. Joshua Hitter looked to have been fouled on the half way line but after disposing Hitter, THOMAS BRUNO looked up to send a lob over Beckwith and into the net. It was a real sucker punch for the Blues.

Leiston though came out well after the break and Matt Blake forced home custodian Calum Kitscha to save with his legs and a good move shortly later saw Jerry Kamanzi shoot just wide of Kitscha’s left hand post. Rory McKeown’s flicked free kick allowed Blake an opportunity for Leiston to pull a goal back but he volleyed just over the bar. Ware, who up to this point had not forced Beckwith into any action at all, then allowed Leiston to pull a goal back when a superb diagonal ball by Rob Eagle was controlled well by Sebastia Pons Llado who got into the area and squared to MATT BLAKE who fired sidefooted into the net. Rory McKeown headed a corner wide just a minute later but Ware sealed the tie in the 78th minute when Oluwaseun Akinsanya tapped home at the back post to make it three. Leiston tried their hardest to get back into the match but LEIGH ROSE and then AKINSANYA added his second and Ware’s fifth in the 93rd minute to put them in the hat for the next round.

It’s the first time since the Blues have failed to reach the Second Round Qualifying stage of the FA Cup since 2013 when they lost 2-0 at Billericay Town.

FT: - Ware 5-1 Leiston.

Leiston visit Stourbridge next Saturday as they get back to league action.

Line-ups: -

Ware: - Kitscha, Norman, Adamson, Leigh Rose, Louis Rose, Madden, Watson (Buffonge 67 mins), Bruno, Akinsanya, Hope (Chaney 82 mins), Oujdi (Adenunle 67 mins). Subs not used: - Crowley, Boxer, Campbell, Brown.

Leiston: - Beckwith, Keys, Saunders, Eagle (Henry 81 mins), Forrest, Clements, Kamanzi, Castro, Blake, Hitter (Pons Llado 65 mins), McKeown. Subs not used: - Parrondo, Woerndl, Odelusi, Jessup.

Man Of The Match: - Rob Eagle.

Attendance: - 157.