Bostik Premier Leiston 1 Folkestone Invicta 5 Leiston boss Glen Driver showed faith in the team that lost midweek at Tonbridge Angels, but this was misplaced as the home side contrived to provide the 321 spectators with a woeful display that saw them trail by four goals at the interval, writes John Campany.
Driver described this result “as a bad day at the office as we gifted the first two goals”. He added “we have beaten better sides this season, but this afternoon we failed to compete”.
Although electing to defend the strong wind, the first two goals had no relationship to the elements as these were conceded due to inept defending.
The visitors’ first success came in the eighth minute with a well-worked goal. Some intricate passing down the left concluded with a cross to the near post by Jordon Wright which found the unmarked Scott Heard, who slotted home.
It was a sluggish start by the home side who fell further behind eight minutes later when in bizarre circumstance Chris Henderson tried to return Marcus Garnham’s short pass out of the box, but Draycott pounced on the ball, rounded the keeper and fired home.
The nearest Leiston came to testing Tim Roberts was when Joe Marsden set up Byron Lawrence who drove a rasping shot over.
Any optimism for the home side was dashed when, on 26 minutes following a foul on Adam Yusuff, Samuel Hasler struck a terrific free kick from 28 yards that flew past Garnham.
Draycott and the excellent Yusuff were a constant threat, but it was a clumsy 45th minute tackle by Marsden on Wright in the area that gift wrapped the points, with Yusuff coolly scoring from the spot.
Enjoying far more possession in the second period Leiston created chances and Matt Blake was unlucky with a drilled shot but a subsequent header lacked pace following a Lawrence cross.
Blake got a consolation on the hour when he went past the last defender to slot the ball beyond the keeper. Substitute Adam Blades missed a couple of good chances before Garnham saved at point blank range from Draycott.
The scoring was completed on 73 minutes when Yusuff again struck from the penalty spot to end a miserable afternoon for Leiston.
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