AFTER seeing his side miss the chance to clinch the Ryman League Division One North title at Maldon & Tiptree, Leiston manager Mark Morsley is delighted to be travelling to rivals Enfield Town on Saturday.

Morsley said: “It is all set up for next week at Enfield, which will be a great game so far as the league is concerned.

“I am glad we are playing Enfield rather than Maldon again. If I could have hand-picked a fixture it would be Enfield away. It will focus the players’ minds.”

After two defeats in their last three matches, following a 25-match undefeated run, Leiston are limping towards the title rather than finishing with a flourish.

Morsley admitted: “If we don’t win the league it proves we are not good enough for the Ryman Premier. You don’t want to go into that league if you are not able to compete in it.

“That is not a criticism of what we have achieved so far – we have done fantastically well. Twelve months ago after winning the Ridgeons League our target was to reach the play-offs, so we have over-achieved.

“To go 25 games unbeaten is a phenomenal run. We have now lost two of the last three, but we will dust ourselves down, train during the week and look forward to next Saturday.”

Morsley put Saturday’s 3-1 defeat down to a slow start and key players failing to impose themselves on the match.

“I don’t think we started very well and they did. It is important to start well as that sets the pattern for the rest of the game.

“We were looking for our influential players to give us an edge and it didn’t happen. Through the middle of the park we were not at our best.

“When you look at the stats we didn’t get many corners and free kicks in the final third of the pitch which tells me we didn’t get good possession.

“Maldon are a half decent side and, to be fair, deserved to win the game. They had nothing to lose and that showed in the way they played.

“It was a good pitch to play on and we went into the game feeling we could win it, but we never looked like winning it.”

Maldon & Tiptree manager Mike Flanagan said: “They are a quality side and I am sure they will get promoted, but sometimes it is hard to get across the finishing line.”