Prospective Billericay Town investor Mark Wright was the main attraction at New Lodge on Saturday, and the Essex side put in a strong display in front of the TV star to see off Leiston, 2-0.
The star of “The Only Way is Essex” will have been impressed by the robust nature of the home side’s first-half performance, Leiston coming off second-best and going into the break two-goals down, after strikes from Jake Robinson and Olly Sprague.
A large crowd of 1,453 turned up to the New Lodge, the majority creating a hostile environment for the away team, and watched their side bully the Blues in the first half, before consolidating in the second period.
Leiston, who visit Merstham tomorrow, looked heavy-legged at times – Tuesday’s long and fruitless trip to leaders, Bognor, seemingly still in their system.
The hosts, meanwhile, despite Tuesday’s home reverse to Dulwich Hamlet, were brimming with confidence, and are still enjoying their honeymoon period under new owner/manager Glenn Tamplin, who has brought in ex-Premier League stars Paul Konchesky and Jamie O’Hara, the latter a substitute, amongst others.
After a positive start, Leiston began to get pinned back by their bigger and more physical hosts.
Their play wasn’t particularly refined but they were effective, especially from set-pieces, and took the lead on 14 minutes, Robinson crashing home a back post volley, from a Sprague corner.
The goal had come just minutes after Leiston goalkeeper Ashlee Jones had spectacularly tipped over an effort from Matt Johnson and the stopper was called into action again on 16 minutes, palming over Joe Ellul’s header.
Matt Blake had Leiston’s first sniff of a chance on the half-hour but was quickly closed down by goalkeeper Alan Julian.
Blake spurned another chance, four minutes before the break, the striker failing to keep his volley down after Connor Hubble’s flick.
And the Blues were made to pay for that a minute later. A high ball rebounded out to Sprague 40 yards out and the left-back hit a volley that started outside of the far post, before curling in wickedly, leaving a Jones a mere spectator.
Chances were scant in the second period, Ollie Brown firing straight at Julian, but the damage had been done in the first half.
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