Leiston Reserves 1 Great Yarmouth Town 2

Leiston FC Reserves 1 Great Yarmouth Town 2

Leiston FC Reserves suffered their 2nd home defeat of the season on Wednesday evening as Great Yarmouth Town left Victory Road with all 3 points.

The Blues got off to the best possible start as Virgillo Letaio put them 1-0 with only 56 seconds on the clock. The Yarmouth back line still hadn’t settled and the Blues number 7 latched on the bouncing ball, skipped over the challenge of the last defender and very calmly dinked the ball over the advancing keeper. It was a wonderful finish and the perfect start for a Blues side who have struggled for goals so far this season.

With only 3 minutes on the clock Jerome Haynes made the visiting keeper work again after his direct free kick was drilled low and hard, but Molloy was able to get down smartly and smother the shot.

From here it was Great Yarmouth who started to get on top of the game. On an immaculate pitch they were finding their passes and causing problems. Their first shot on target came after 6 minutes and it was gathered safely by Vincent, making his home debut for the reserves, in the Leiston goal.

Yarmouth were creating a number of good opportunities with a mixture of good goalkeeping and bad luck denying them their equaliser. They were finding a great deal of success with route one football and time after time were making progress with angled balls down the flanks.

Leiston had a couple of half chances mid way through the first half as first Johnson and then Letaio had chances but you sensed the momentum was with the away side and they got their equaliser on 28 minutes. After a long period of sustained possession and pressure the ball was worked down the right hand side and driven low across the box. It wasn’t defended properly and Jason Thompson had the simplest of tasks to fire home from close range.

Yarmouth had a goal disallowed for offside as the half drew to a close and a defensive mix up between Vincent and Levett nearly cost Leiston dear but the keeper done well to close down and save from a one on one opportunity.

Neither side made any changes at half time, but one of the linesman was forced to retire and our very own James Spink took over for the second half and did a commendable job.

A half time team huddle on the pitch did little to change the flow of the game for Leiston and after only 20 seconds Yarmouth were awarded a penalty after a clumsy challenge in the area. Yarmouth number 9 Mitch Forbes stepped up but his penalty was saved superbly down low to his left by Leiston keeper Ben Vincent.

Leiston had very little in the way of chances in the 2nd half, with Kerslake firing over after good work by Letaio and Block. But it was the Yarmouth midfield and forward line dictating all the play and the Blues were becoming more and more frustrated. Ill discipline crept into their game and Josh Merritt was probably lucky to stay on the field.

Mid way through the 2nd half the game sprung into life again as Ben Vincent made a miraculously triple save. First from Yarmouth sub Scott Woodcock and then a tremendous double save to really keep Leiston in the game.

Still Yarmouth came forward and on 76 minutes they finally got their reward. More good play by number 15 Woodcock enabled him to fire the ball across the box from the left hand side and Mitch Forbes atoned for his earlier penalty miss by getting ahead of the defender and deftly flicking the ball past the unlucky Vincent.

You sensed at this point there was no way back for the Blues and indeed Yarmouth should have added to their tally, the frame of the goal twice denying them in the final 10 minutes.

A lot for the players and management to think about and work on before they welcome Dereham Town Reserves to Victory Road on Saturday. Kick off 3:00pm

Leiston: Vincent, Valzian (Sprague 81mins), Keeble, Block, Levett, Johnson, Letaio, Block, Merritt (Jermaine Haynes 78mins), Jerome Haynes, Kerslake (Nicholls 62mins). Subs unused: Stephenson, Mower.

Att: 68