Leiston make Town work hard for victory

GOALS in either half from Jack Ainsley and Ed Upson gave Ipswich Town a passage into the quarter-finals of the LB Group Suffolk Premier Cup against Ridgeons League Leiston last night but the final 2-1 scoreline reflects how close the game was.

The home side took the game to the visitors and they were the better side in the first period and with a little more composure in front of goal could have gone into the break at least two goals to the good. A crowd in excess of 400 was entertained throughout in a lively contest.

After six minutes Hart headed Cunningham's pinpoint corner wide as Leiston constantly unsettled the Ipswich defence.

Both sides were not afraid to shoot from distance although the quality of the shooting left a little to be desired.

Hart again went close with a header, this time from a Boardley centre on 17 minutes, and Cunningham's deliveries from wide areas were always a potent threat.

Another teasing cross, this time from the right, should have brought a goal but Calver and Ottley-Gooch got in each other's way and Calver headed wide. Home keeper Vincent was finally called into action to deny Murray and then Eastman from the resulting corner.

It was somewhat against the run of play when Ainsley scrambled home the opener a minute before the break from Lambe's left-wing cross.

Upson doubled the lead on 57 minutes with a close-range tap-in after Vincent had parried Lambe's cross but Head deservedly pulled a goal back for Leiston on 72 minutes from Cunningham's cross to set up a tense finale.

But after Hyam struck the home bar the visitors held on to book a quarter-final berth against Haverhill.

Leiston: Vincent, Ottley-Gooch, Wardley, Head, Goldfinch, Calver, Cunningham, Boardley, Hart, Blake and Berry (McGlone 88 mins). Subs not used: Lowe, Chenery, Cole and Trotter

Ipswich Town: McCloughlin, Ainsley, Dunbar, Upson, Meekings, Eastman, Lambe, Clarke (Carson 69 mins), Murray (Lavery 74 mins), Hyam and Cawley. Subs not used: Brandon and Bennett.