THE BLUES are up into eighth position after a tremendous win on the road at fellow play-off chasing St Ives Town.

Chris Wigger’s side had to do it the hard way, recovering from conceding an early goal to score three times, with top scorer Jamar Loza taking his tally for the season to 15 with a goal in either half with substitute Albie Armin securing the win in second-half stoppage time.

The hosts were ahead after just four minutes. Looking to avoid back-to-back home defeats, Aaron Smith fired home from the edge of the box after a cross from the right was not dealt with. Leiston struggled in the opening quarter or so of the game and only a smart stop with his legs from Blues stopper Billy Johnson denied new signing Josh Allen (who signed in the week from AFC Sudbury) a debut goal after racing clear.

Ben Fowkes finally tested home keeper Dan Wilks and after Loza had made his presence known a couple of times, the Leiston striker drew the visitors level on 39 minutes. He collected the ball just outside the box and twisted to make the space to drill an effort low beyond Wilks.

At the start of the second period Wilks was called into action again, three times denying Fowkes and then tipping over a fine effort from George Quantrell. But on the hour mark Leiston deservedly took the lead.

A Quantrell cross into the box was parried by Wilks but straight to Loza who made no mistake. Johnson twice did well to deny the hosts an equaliser as Leiston looked to cement their advantage in the last ten minutes of the match. But the Leiston keeper saved his best save until three minutes from time, with a brilliant save to deny the hosts captain Alex Collard.

That save looked to have broken the hosts determination and Leiston comfortably saw out the remainder of the contest, despite injuries to Eddie Jackson and Wyatt Hill, with the added bonus of an Albie Armin goal deep into stoppage time. The Blues substitute racing clear before finding the net to extend the visitors unbeaten league run to seven games as they now sit just two points outside the top five.

FT: St Ives Town 1 Blues 3

St Ives Town: Wilks, Mensah (Agegbola), Smith, Abimbola (Wilson), Collard, Gyamfi, Glennon, Hadi, Allen, Skyers. Subs not used: Creary and Obeng.
Blues: Johnson, Hill (Clements 82 mins), Saunders, Jackson (Yun 70 mins), Rossi Jarvis, Fatadjo (Armin 87 mins), Alexander, Quantrell, Fowkes, Loza, Curtis (Manly 70 mins). Sub not used: Ryan Jarvis.

Attendance: 324