tut tut Rik - you don't need thermals at -5, man up! :-)
Leon Ottley-Gooch’s seventh goal of the season earned the Blues a draw at inform Hadleigh. After trailing at the break, Leiston laid siege to the home goal and only the woodwork and an inspired goalkeeping display denied Leiston a deserved three points. Neither side had played since Bank Holiday Monday and Hadleigh’s best gate since returning to the Premier Division (272) were in attendance. Hadleigh kicked off with the stiff breeze in their favour and forced a first minute corner which P Brothers did well to head Wright’s in swinging delivery off the line. The visitors responded four minutes later with Heath’s run into the box being unchecked but he fired wide from the angle. Leiston were now seeing more of the ball but were stung on 12 minutes as the home side took the lead. Deacon shrugged off two defenders before finding Mayhew on the edge of the box. With both Head and Stannard showing a slight hesitance Mayhew was able to lunge and poke the ball goalwards and his effort trickled into the empty net. Leiston responded with a superb piece of skill from Ottley-Gooch to get around Rose but his cross was headed clear by Smith. On 24 minutes the visitors looked to have a good shout for a penalty as Heath had his ankle clipped by Donnelly inside the box after a fine four man move but Referee Oldershaw waved away their claims. At the other end, Read’s shot on the edge of the box was deflected over Stannard’s bar. Benstead then denied M Brothers with Head heading wide Boardley’s resulting corner and then the home custodian saved well to keep out Boardley’s shot from distance. With the wind advantage Hadleigh still threatened and only a fine save with his legs by Stannard on 34 minutes denied Canfer after good work by Deacon. Leiston thought they had levelled three minutes later as Head nodded home Boardley’s corner but the Referee spotted an infringement. A minute later Leiston were incensed further as the unmarked Head headed home M Brothers free kick from the half way line but the Assistant raised his flag for offside but Head was clearly on-side. At the interval Smy replaced Harrop and the visitors resumed even more determined but just seconds in were denied by the woodwork as M Brothers fantastic strike from 30 yards smacked Benstead bar with the keeper well beaten. The rebound looked to have fell to Heath but stretching, he couldn’t turn his header goalwards. Three minutes later the home side almost doubled their lead as Deacon twisted an opening across the box but Stannard blocked well with his right leg. Play soon switched to the other end and Benstead made a smart save to his left to deny Heath who had burst clear from central midfield. Boardley then drove wide from Saker’s cross before Boardley then hit Benstead’s bar with an unstoppable shot from 30 odd yards and again Benstead was well beaten. Hammond replaced Calver with Payne replacing Deacon for the home side before Leiston deservedly drew level. Heath’s ball into the box found Ottley-Gooch who went down under the challenge of Donnelly but managed to quickly resume his footing and his shot looped into the net off Benstead. It was no more than Leiston deserved and with thirty minutes remaining, Leiston now sensed a victory. On 65 minutes the woodwork again came to Hadleigh’s rescue as M Brothers collected Heath’s pass wide on the right and drove his shot across Benstead only to see it smack the inside of the post, run along the line and hit the other post before landing in Benstead’s arms. A minute later M Brothers set up Smy whose shot was finger tipped away by Benstead before Heath was denied by yet another flying save by Benstead. With Leiston camped in the Hadleigh half the home side made a rare foray forward and only a good save from Stannard low to his left denied Read whose shot through a crowd of players was destined for the corner. Leiston continued to press but in the closing stages the home side stood firm to deny the visitors and continue their own good form of late. Leiston deserved more for all their efforts but at the end of the day, what more could they have done? Only a fantastic goalkeeping display and the home woodwork denied the visitors. Hadleigh, on this performance, looked destined for a top six finish and will certainly give other sides a stern test.
