Southern League Premier Leiston 2 Coalville Town 0 The Blues defeated Coalville Town in the opening game of the season at Victory Road on a perfect afternoon for football, writes Craig Cooper.
The hosts had the first chance on goal but Jake Reed headed over a Kyle Hammond corner.
Moments later from yet another corner, Matt Blake was off target. At the other end, Kyle Hammond cleared a dangerous cross from the right while away captain Steve Towers shot straight at Marcus Garnham from distance.
A good team move by Leiston ended with Christy Finch arrowing in a cross but Blake couldn’t get on the end of it. Then, after Leiston gave a free kick away on the edge of the box, Courtney Wildin put the ball out of play much to the amusement of the home crowd.
Dominic Docherty hit the top of the crossbar after he got on the end of a Finch delivery, and a minute later Finch’s strike was pushed round by away custodian Max Smith-Varnam with Jake Reed ready to pounce.
Marcus Garnham saved excellently from Timothi Berridge at his near post, before Leiston took the lead. A good exchange of passes ended with Seb Dunbar drifting into the penalty and finding Finch to tap home from eight yards.
The first opportunity of the second period came from Finch’s cross which Smith-Varnham fumbled but Coalville cleared away any danger.
Smith-Varnam then collected Kyle Hammond’s free kick and Reed curled an effort just over the bar. Finch also tried his luck, and Matt Blake’s attempt was pushed behind for a corner by Smith-Varnam.
Tom McGlinchey’s shot deflected off man of the match Noel Aitkens and just wide of the post. Andrew Wright fired over as the visiting side were having more of the ball in the latter stages.
Late on, silly bookings were picked up on both sides, and Berridge headed just wide. But, in the second minute of injury time, Patrick Brothers released Chris Henderson who ran into the penalty area to jink round the keeper and seal the points for the Suffolk club.
Leiston head to Hertfordshire tomorrow night to take on Royston Town in further league action, before travelling to Banbury United on Saturday.
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