Leiston 0 Stourbridge 1

East Anglian Daily Times: Stourbridge celebrate scoring what proved to be the only goal of the game ,at Leiston on Saturday.Picture: HANNAH PARNELLStourbridge celebrate scoring what proved to be the only goal of the game ,at Leiston on Saturday.Picture: HANNAH PARNELL (Image: Archant)

Leiston went down to Stourbridge by a single goal at Victory Road on Saturday, as The Glassboys recorded an important victory to keep them in the play-off hunt, while hosts Leiston remain in a relegation fight, sitting two places and eight points clear of the drop zone.

But it certainly wasn't for a lack of effort as Leiston put in a determined display, only to come up just short on the day.

Leiston forced a corner early on but Stourbridge cleared, and Andre Landell then crossed to Anthony Dwyer from the right, whose header went over the bar when well placed.

Byron Lawrence fired wide from a free kick for Leiston's first effort on goal before the visitors took the lead in the 19th minute, with what proved to be the only goal of the afternoon.

East Anglian Daily Times: John Sands clashes heads with Stourbridge's Jamie Willets (No. 6) during Leiston's 1-0 home defeat. Picture: HANNAH PARNELLJohn Sands clashes heads with Stourbridge's Jamie Willets (No. 6) during Leiston's 1-0 home defeat. Picture: HANNAH PARNELL (Image: Archant)

Jordan Williams headed home a free kick into Sam Donkin's bottom left hand corner to put Stourbridge on course for victory.

Home striker John Sands had an effort blocked, and then volleyed over from a cross as Leiston looked to get back in the game.

The busy Sands was in on goal after Stourbridge failed to clear a long ball, but miscued well wide, while the away side tested keeper Donkin via Chay Tilt, before Bradley Birch could have doubled the visitors' lead on the stroke of half-time, only for Donkin to get down to his left to save.

In the second period, clear-cut chances were hard to come by for both sides.

Donkin made a good save halfway through the half, while Jake Hutchings headed wide for Leiston from Lawrence's cross.

Zak Brown's cross from the right was nearly turned into his own goal by Jamie Willets, and the home side put balls into the penalty area as six minutes of added on time was played.

However, Stourbridge held out to take the points back to the West Midlands. The result keeps Leiston down in fourth-from-bottom, but results went the Blues' way as the lowly trio of St Ives Town, Alvechurch and Redditch United all lost.

Leiston now visit St Ives Town next weekend, in a league match. St Ives sit one place below Leiston in 20th place, and are six points behind the Suffolk side.

Meanwhile, Leiston Reserves went down in Norfolk, losing 2-0 at Fakenham Town as the home side netted goals through Jack Robinson and Callum Brain.