The Blues U23’s put in a good performance at the weekend against SIL Senior opposition in the form of Haughley United to reach the semi-finals of the CNet Training Suffolk Senior Cup for the second time in three seasons.

Before the tie began, we marked the passing of former referee Maurice Scrivener before Saturday’s match with a minute’s silence. Joined on the pitch for the minutes silence with the match officials and players were Ian Smillie and Darryl Butcher, and also Peter Hutchings from the Thurlow Nunn League.

Cameron Young made a good early block early on as Haughley came forward just after a minute, before the Blues had their first sight of target, with Ollie Griggs forcing a good save from Barry Lynn as early as the third minute, the keeper diving full stretch to his right to tip the ball around a post. Leiston almost scored from close range from the corner but Haughley cleared and quickly broke upfield where Billy Jordan fouled on the edge of the area. Alex Simpson curled home the free kick well into Ollie Dawson’s top right hand corner to give the visitors an early lead. Dan Price just three minutes later had another chance but blazed his strike over Dawson’s bar while Simpson had another chance himself but the ball ballooned into the Bowls Green. Leiston were having a lot of possession but struggled to create chances. Young won a free kick, thirty yards out, but he shot over the bar. Elliott Young then fed Griggs, with the young midfielder cutting into the area and shooting over the bar. The Blues though would pull level on 38 minutes when Mackenzie Travis’s short corner found Griggs who played a clever ball through two Haughley defenders and Matt Mullis found room to get away from his defender and slot over Lynn into the keeper’s bottom right hand corner. The Blues went in search of another goal before the interval, as did Haughley, before referee Edwin Reid brought the half to an end.

Haughley forced Dawson into a save through Dale Rozier five minutes into the second period from a header while Munashe Chirimuuta had the hosts first chance of the second half but he shot straight at Lynn. Travis set up Griggs for a chance in the box soon after but the latter shot just over the bar when inside the box. Alex Simpson went close for the away side before Matt Mullis pounced on a chance when Haughley couldn’t clear their lines from a dangerous Travis delivery and the player tapped home to net his second of the match. Leiston were now the more dominant team but Haughley defended well also. On 71 minutes, a great individual goal was scored by young Elliott Young, with the left back starting in his own half and travelling at the visiting defence, getting into the area and shooting low past Lynn to double the advantage. Haughley put some free kicks into the Leiston box late in the game which the Blues defended well. On 94 minutes, and the final action of the game, Thomas Stacey, who had only been on the pitch five minutes, got into the area to shoot low off the post into Lynn’s left hand corner to seal the passage into the semi-finals.

FT: - Blues U23’s 4-1 Haughley United.

Leiston are joined in the hat by Bungay Town and Trimley Red Devils (both winning their ties on penalties) in the semi-finals. Coplestonians host East Bergholt United this coming weekend in the final quarter-final tie.

Leiston now head to AFC Sudbury Reserves next weekend for their next game.

Line-ups: -

Blues U23’s: - Dawson, Elliott Young, Jordan, Cameron Young, Oldman, Chirimuuta, Griggs, Yaxley, Mullis, Wilson, Travis. Subs (all used): - Fowler, King, Petrea, Buckman, Stacey.

Haughley United: - Lynn, Lee Warren, Tyler Whebby, Rozier, Goddard, Bell, McPhillips, Price, Craig Simpson, Kurt Warren, Alex Simpson. Subs Used: - Bell, Ryan Whebby, Hawkins. Subs Not Used: - Heywood, Skinner.

Blues Man Of The Match: - Elliott Young.

Attendance: - 48.