Super Leiston grab Ryman title glory

LEISTON will be playing Ryman League Premier Division football next season after a crushing title-winning victory over Potters Bar at Victory Road last night.

Mark Morsley’s side managed to contain the pressure that had built up on them over the weekend after this twice-postponed game eventually took place.

Enfield Town had gone to the top of the league after their win at Grays on Saturday and Leiston knew nothing less than victory would seal the title and promotion.

They went about it in a thoroughly professional manner and if there were any nerves the home side certainly didn’t show any.

Last night’s demolition of a game Potters Bar side was evidence just how far Leiston have come in the past few seasons.

A former Suffolk and Ipswich League side, today they proudly stand as a Step 3 side and the Victory Road fans are sure to lap up the bigger challenges that will be coming their way next season.

But next season can wait for now and last night the celebrations continued long into the night, with Leiston deserved champions.

Morsley’s side got just the start they would have craved when Danny Smy headed home after just eight minutes.

It was just the boost the home side needed and when Joe Jefford shot in the second just before the break the home side went in at half time with one hand already on the Division One North title.

Potters Bar had been game opposition but in the second half they were completely torn apart by a rampant home side.

Leon Ottley-Gooch got a rather fortuitous third when the ball cannoned off him during a tackle 18 yards out. That was after 57 minutes.

But there was nothing lucky about Leiston’s fourth and fifth goals, both scored by Ottley-Gooch as he completed a quick-fire hat-trick. It was a man of the match performance.

Leiston’s sixth was a header from Jefford and by now celebrations had well and truly started.

The home fans were chanting champions as the game headed into the final stages, with Potters Bar never giving up but quite frankly they had been outclassed and the crowd of more than 450 joined in the celebrations with the Division One North trophy presented to Leiston captain David Head.

n Meanwhile, Needham Market’s play-off clash with Tilbury was called off yesterday morning because of a water-logged pitch. The game has been re-arranged for tonight and Danny Laws’ side will be hoping to make it through the play-offs and join Leiston in the Ryman Premier Division next season.