Both teams had to settle for a point in a cagey affair which saw plenty of chances for both sides as the two sides were reduced to ten men late on, in a match sponsored by Alan Crane and Tim Jacobs.

The Blues had the first attempt on goal but George Quantrell’s free kick went over the crossbar on five minutes. On ten minutes, Ben Fowkes forced his way into the penalty area but Harborough keeper Elliott Taylor made a good save to his right. Ryan Inman shot over for the visitors first chance but the Leicestershire club took the lead on 15 minutes through Ben Stephens after Leiston gave away possession and Stephens glided into the box to shoot into Billy Johnson’s bottom right hand corner.

Ismael Fatadjo forced Taylor into a good save although the offside flag was raised. Oli Yun had a strike on the edge of the box but Taylor thwarted the player by pushing his shot out. Albie Armin then hit a post and Quantrell scored the rebound but the offside flag again went up. Harborough headed against the bar on 37 minutes from Stephens before Fatadjo volleyed over, the ball just not coming down for him. The away side went close before the break but Inman shot over from close range.

A little over thirty seconds into the second half, Kai Sanchez-Tonge shot against Johnson’s right hand post before Jamar Loza got in on goal and saw his shot blocked before Quantrell followed the ball up to smash home, high into the roof of the net. Ben Stephens then had two attempts for Harborough that Leiston snuffed out while Fowkes shot wide at an angle at the other end.

Albie Armin was booked for fouling Riley O’Sullivan on 73 minutes but the attacker reacted and after consulting his linesman, referee Dario Mathewson sent off the Harborough player. Alexander Morris had a chance from a free kick just after the sending off but curled the ball just over the bar. The away side then came at Leiston but clear cut chances were hard to come by from both sides. In the fifth and final minute of added on time, Albie Armin received a second yellow card with time was nearly up. Sub Manly was given a yellow card soon after as Leiston defended the final free kick of the afternoon before Mathewson blew the final whistle.

FT: - Leiston 1-1 Harborough Town.

The Blues have a midweek off now before they head to Oxfordshire to face Banbury United in league action.

Line-ups: -
Leiston: - Johnson, Yun, Saunders, Clements (Batho 81 mins), Eddie Jackson, Fatadjo (Manly 78 mins), Armin, Alexander, Fowkes, Quantrell, Loza. Subs not used: Ryan Jarvis and Rossi Jarvis.

Harborough Town: - Taylor, Rose, Walsh, Kennedy, Williams, Morris, Sanchez-Tonge, Inman (sub Cooper 72 mins), Daire (sub Robinson 57 mins), Stephens (sub Sandhu 65 mins), O’Sullivan. Subs not used: - Kelly, Mulligan.

Blues Man Of The Match, selected by Alan Crane and Tim Jacobs: - George Quantrell.
Attendance: - 187.