OVERVIEW

THE Blues Under 23’s are on their travels this weekend as they visit Walmer Road in the JLS Catering Group Suffolk Senior Cup Second Round (2pm kick off) to face Kirkley & Pakefield Reserves. It will be the fifth meeting between the sides in the competition over nine seasons, writes Craig Cooper.

Last week, Leiston’s second string defeated Grundisburgh 6-2 at home.

Ollie Long (hat-trick), Ewan Parlett (2) and Ashton Rayworth netted the goals as the Blues moved up two places into 8th in the Suffolk & Ipswich League Premier Division.

A lot of the players who played Saturday also featured for the Under 18’s victory at Aveley on Monday night in the FA Youth Cup, making history as Lee Harrison’s team won 4-2 on penalties in Essex after the tie had finished 1-1 after normal time.

Both Kirkley & Pakefield Reserves and the Blues have won a game each to reach this stage of this year’s competition.

The Blues beat Carlton Colville Town 3-0 away from home in the opening round. Goals from Stan Horne, Ollie Long and Ashton Rayworth helped send the Blues into the next round.

Kirkley & Pakefield Reserves meanwhile, also won 3-0, at home to AFC Kesgrave. Goals from Rio Cook, Joshua Williams and Grady Croft helped put Kirkley into the Second Round.

PREVIOUS ENCOUNTERS IN THE SUFFOLK SENIOR CUP

The two Reserve/Under 23 sides first met in the competition on Saturday 17th November 2018 when Kirkley & Pakefield Reserves beat Leiston Reserves 2-1. Louis Bloom netted Leiston’s goal.

The sides met at Walmer Road just under a year later, again in the Second Round on Saturday 2nd November 2019. This time, Leiston won 2-1 as goals from Sebastian Pons Llado and Albert Parrondo helped book the Blues spot in the quarter-finals where they lost 3-0 at Crane Sports, just before Lockdown, the following year.

The sides met in the First Round of the competition on Wednesday 10th November 2021, this time at Leiston, with the Blues winning 6-2. James Gaffer (2), Callum Pearce, Mason Sinclair, Dion Dozzell and Kai Fletcher were all on target for Leiston.

Daniel Munro and Josh Harvey scored for Kirkley.

Leiston went on to beat Bildeston Rangers away from home on penalties after the game finished 4-4, then a 3-1 home win over Beccles Town in the Quarter Finals while East Bergholt United were beaten in the Semi Final at Woodbridge Town FC on penalties after the sides were locked at 2-2 after normal time. In the Final Ryan Honeyman’s team lost 1-0 against Ipswich Wanderers at Colchester United FC in May 2022.

And the sides met for a fourth time in the Second Round on Saturday 19th November 2024. Leiston Under 23’s beat Kirkley & Pakefield Reserves 3-2 on this occasion again the game being played at Leiston FC. The Blues had beaten Old Newton United 1-0 at home in the opening round. They lost 1-0 in the quarter-finals at home to Henley Athletic.

Kirkley & Pakefield Reserves are currently second in the Anglian Combination League Division One. They have won three, drawn two and lost two of their seven league games and have 11 points. They have beaten Costessey Sports 9-0 and Loddon United, both at home, in their last two league games.

Other Second Round ties this weekend (all 2pm kick offs);

Needham Market Reserves v Debenham LC
Hadleigh United v Long Melford
Tattingstone United v Beccles Town
Haughley United v Henley Athletic
KIRKLEY & PAKEFIELD RESERVES v LEISTON UNDER 23’s
Stowupland Falcons v Halesworth Town
East Bergholt United v Ransomes Sports
Sporting 87 v Old Newton United

Games until the end of November for the Under 23’s
Saturday 24th Oct: Sporting 87 (HOME)
Saturday 31st Oct: Ransomes Sports (Away)
Saturday 7th Nov: Haughley United (HOME)
Saturday 14th Nov: Tattingstone United (HOME)
Saturday 21st Nov: Debenham LC (Away)

MATCH INFORMATION
Kirkley & Pakefield Reserves v Blues Under 23’s
JLS Catering Group Suffolk Senior Cup Second Round
Saturday, October 17th, 2pm kick off
Walmer Road, Pakefield, Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR33 7LE
Tel: 07775 745249