BUNGAY TOWN 1-1 BLUES U23’s - MATCH REPORT

Leiston U23’s made it through to the final of the Suffolk Senior Cup last evening at the expense of Bungay Town at Lowestoft Town FC. It means the Blues U23’s have reached the final of the competition for the second time in three seasons.

With a few players cup tied after playing in the Suffolk Premier Cup for the Blues first team earlier in the campaign, the youngsters, who had won three games beforehand to reach this stage, were called upon and once again stood up to the task in hand.

The Blues won a penalty shoot out at Lowestoft Town last October in the Suffolk Premier Cup (5-4 on pens) whilst Leiston won the Suffolk Junior Cup at Crown Meadow in 1983, beating Southwold 2-0 in the final.

Bungay Town, who are third in their respective league in the Anglian Combination Division One, were also missing a couple of key players.

Leiston had plenty of the ball in the first half as Bungay sat in and allowed Leiston to come on to them. The first chance for either side came as early as the tenth minute when Warren Buckman tried his luck from 30 yards but the ball smashed against Aiden Way’s right hand post and went away to safety. Way was then called into action to take a free kick on 16 minutes before the away side got at Leiston down the Blues right two minutes later but Ashley Varley’s delivery went out of play and past Oliver Dawson’s right hand post.
On 21 minutes, Ollie Griggs and Reagan King combined just outside the Bungay penalty area and the latters strike went just over Way’s crossbar. Moments later, King tried again from distance but shot straight at Way in goal. Leiston won a free kick on 24 minutes just outside the Bungay area and King curled his attempt against Way’s crossbar. Three minutes later, and Griggs this time got forward after a long pass but stroked the ball just wide of Way’s right hand post. Chances were then at a premium for most of the half, with Leiston having most of the ball, before captain Ethan Oldman was cautioned for a late challenge for the Blues. In the last minute of normal time of the first half, Varley struck an effort just past Dawson’s left hand upright.

However, Leiston’s first half pressure paid off at the beginning of the second half. On 47 minutes, Griggs got down Bungay’s right hand side and laid the ball back to Mackenzie Travis who shot right footed into Way’s bottom right hand corner. But with the rain now coming down hard, the game changed and Bungay started to attack Leiston. On 52 minutes, Jack Child shot wide of Dawson’s right hand post before this time Reagan King was booked for a foul shortly later. Bungay headed against a post through John Riches on the hour mark and after Leiston scrambled the ball away for a corner, Child hit the crossbar with a shot just inside the box. Leiston did well to clear two efforts off the line from Bungay corners while in the 69th minute, Dawson came off his line to punch away a corner for the Blues. Bungay’s pressure paid off on 79 minutes though. A dangerous free kick, that Billy Jordan was booked for making a foul, came into the area and this time Riches made no mistake and headed into Dawson’s left hand corner. Play was then held up for four minutes as Dawson received treatment and was unable to carry on, meaning sub keeper Kevin Holland cease called into action. Within two minutes, Holland came out to dive at the feet of Beau Mullet and the player, also on as a sub for Bungay, went in late on the keeper, so much so that referee Kahlan Sannerude deemed it a red card and Bungay were down to ten men. This allowed Leiston to get more time on the ball and took the momentum away from the North Suffolk club. Griggs set up sub Thomas Stacey on 88 minutes and the players strike went just off target. After six minutes of added on time, where no real chances were created on either goal, the referee blew for full time, meaning the tie would eventually be settled by spot kicks.

FT: - Bungay Town 1-1 Leiston U23’s.

In the shootout, Bungay went first and scored via Jackson Williams before Kian Wilson levelled things up.

Holland saved three of their next four attempts from Bungay from Daniel Drage, Corey Thurston, Stanley Dossett (hit bar) and Jack Child.

Josh Yaxley hit the bar and Billy Jordan shot over his penalty for the Blues, however, so the contest remained tied at 1-1. 16 year old Thomas Stacey sent Aiden Way the wrong way to give Leiston a 2-1 lead before Holland brilliantly saved low to his right from Jack Child to spark jubilant celebrations behind the goal and which saw Leiston reach the final of the Suffolk Senior Cup.

Line-ups: -

Bungay Town: Aiden Way, Daniel Drage, Sam Fisher, Jackson Williams, James Whightman, John Riches, Jack Child, Callum Maloney, Liam Williams, Ashley Varley, Charlie Deakin. Used subs: Stanley Dossett, Corey Thurston, Ben Mullett. Unused subs: Adam Bray, Ole Alexander.

Leiston U23s: Oliver Dawson, Kian Wilson, Jack Dawson, Billy Jordan, Ethan Oldman, Oliver Griggs, Ashdon Fowler, Warren Buckman, Reagan King, Josh Yaxley, Mackenzie Travis. Used subs: Manashe Chirimuuta, Elliott Young, Thomas Stacey, Max Crane, Kevin Holland (GK).

Referee: Kahlan Sannerude.

Attendance: 263.