Leiston were defeated by Warwickshire based club Stratford Town yesterday afternoon on the opening day of the Pitching In Southern League Central Premier.

The Blues, who were playing in all yellow on the day, had to make do without Seb Dunbar, who has an injury, whilst Ben Fowkes could only make the bench.

Leiston came forward a couple of times in the opening minutes but both times the flag was raised before on six minutes Billy Johnson’s long kick found Jamar Loza through on goal but Callum Smith saved the strikers shot to his left. A minute later and the home side took the lead. Stratford worked the ball through midfield and Callum Ebanks was sent in on goal to beat Johnson and give Stratford the lead. The second goal came on 14 minutes.

Finley Brennan and Owen James got at the Blues down their left flank, and the latter crossed into the area for Ebanks, who again netted from close range to double Stratford’s lead. Leiston then stemmed the flow of Stratford attacks and had a great chance to pull on goal back on 23 minutes as Ollie Saunders threaded a ball into Loza but Smith again thwarted Leiston, this time a save with his left boot. At the other end, Billy Johnson saved from Reece Styche on the edge of the box as the teams stopped for drinks. Just past the half hour mark, James put a ball through for Lewis Ludford-Ison and the player shot wide of Johnson’s left hand upright.

Five minutes before the interval, Johnson punched away a free kick and Loza cleared away the danger while on 42 minutes, Babatomiwa Solanke was just wide with his effort from thirty yards. In the final minutes of normal time in the first period, Stratford made it three when Daniel Lafferty beat the offside flag and rounded Johnson to kill off any real hopes of a Blues fight back.

Leiston began the second half better, and forced a couple of corners but the Stratford defence, marshalled by Paul McCone and Babatomiwa Solanke, stood firm. Ebanks headed straight at Johnson in the Leiston goal while on 51 minutes, Styche set up the player again and the ball hit the crossbar.

Owen James was just wide with his attempt and George Quantrell lobbed his effort just over Smith’s bar at the other end after a good ball over the top from Ollie Saunders. Ismael Fatadjo shot just wide from inside the area as Stratford sat back as the game neared the end. Both sides made a couple of subs while another drinks break was taken. A lot of the play was in the middle of the park late on as Stratford were happy to sit on their lead with chances few and far between in the final moments of the encounter.

FT: - Stratford Town 3-0 Blues.

Leiston host Bishop’s Stortford in their first home game of the season on Tuesday night in a first ever league meeting between the two sides. (7.45pm kick off).

Line-ups: -
Stratford Town: - Smith, Brennan, Worley, Hussey, McCone, Solanke, Styche (sub Wright 66 mins), Ludford-Ison, Ebanks, Lafferty, James (sub Hawker 78 mins). Subs not used: - Clutterback (GK), Cund, Wilson.

Blues: - Johnson, Yun, Hill (sub Manly 62 mins), Armin, Ryan Jarvis (sub Batho 59 mins), Clements, Eddie Jackson, Fatadjo, Quantrell, Saunders, Loza.
Subs not used: - Fowkes, Rossi Jarvis.

Blues Man Of The Match: - Ollie Saunders.

Attendance: - 464.