Leiston Reserves 8-2 Downham Town - Match Report

Leiston Reserves gained a cracking win at the weekend defeating league leaders (at the start of the day) Downham Town 8-2 on home soil.

The Blues striked early on six minutes after a good start to the match as JAMES GAFFER picked the ball up on the edge of the area to dispatch a great strike into Matthew Cape’s top right hand corner. Four minutes later, and GEORGE TUCK scored a second goal after good individual play ended in a decent finish. Downham captain Jon Sykes headed over for the away side with their first chance but they did pull a goal back as slack defensive play from Leiston enabled a cross from the right into the penalty box and BEN BAXTER-HUNT made no mistake from close range. Three minutes later, and the scores were level. A long ball to BEN FENN from the Downham defence saw the player turn on the edge of the box and find Joe Potter’s top left hand corner. This though did not dampen the Reserves spirits and Ben Stannard found Harrison Bacon who headed on to Matthew Cape’s right hand post before shortly later, defender Sam Allen headed just off target. Lewis Hewitt was booked for a late challenge on Mason Sinclair for the away side as Matthew Calvert fired just wide of the post. Late in the half, James Gaffer struck the post with Albert Serra Parrondo shooting the follow up wide.

Just five minutes into the second period, JAMES GAFFER volleyed the Reserves into the lead to net his second of the match. Mason Sinclair tested Cape in the Downham goal, but the keeper made an excellent save, but the fourth goal arrived with excellent work by GEORGE TUCK that gave Tom Leuenberger the easiest of tasks to tap home from four yards. In the 56th minute, the match was virtually finished as a contest as Harrison Bacon was fouled in the box, with ALBERT SERRA PARRONDO dispatching the penalty with ease. Both sides made changes but Leiston continued to play well and good work by sub Drew Connick saw the player pull the ball back to GEORGE TUCK and the player finished well to make it six. A great run and finish by HARRISON BACON then made it seven before JAMES GAFFER completed his hat-trick in the 84th minute with a great strike on the edge of the area. Late on, Harrison Bacon had a shot well saved by Cape while with the last action of the game, Aaron McGuckin’s crossed to Harrison Bacon, who headed just wide.

FT: - Leiston Reserves 8-2 Downham Town.

Line-ups: -

Leiston Reserves: - Potter, Stannard, Canham, Gaffer, Newson, Allen, Sinclair (Connick 65 mins), Tuck, Leuenberger (McGuckin 63 mins), Bacon, Parrondo.

Downham Town: - Cape, Berry, Hewitt (Plumb 59 mins), Gould, Yates, Sykes, Fenn (Bloodworth 59 mins), Bird, Baxter-Hunt, Calvert (Singleterry 75 mins), Frohawk.

Man Of The Match: - James Gaffer.

Attendance: - 46.