Leiston 2 Tonbridge 0

Match 101/16/1408 - Tuesday, 7th March 2017 - Ryman Premier

Leiston (0) 2 Muir-Merchant 63,66
Tonbridge (0) 0
Attendance: 183

Entrance: £7 Senior
Programme: £2
Mileage: 176/7,126

I take full responsibility, this was an afternoon/evening where everything that could go wrong went wrong from the moment my glasses broke in half while cleaning them, sending me into panic mode to find my spare pair. An accident in Hadlow left me late picking up a friend, but more importantly, also delayed the team coach and then, of course, came the Dartford Tunnel. Best part of an hour to crawl through as a lorry had broken down in one of the bores. We made good time for the rest of the journey, but when a man in a high vis jacket was at the end of Victory Road, with no coach at the ground we feared the worst.

The people at Leiston were very welcoming, there cannot be many places where you are offered a sweet on entry and inside the clubhouse there were no moans about the late arrival of the visitors and the delayed kick-off of 8.30 p.m. Somewhat unusually the tea bar is situated inside the clubhouse which meant that we could sit at a table and refresh ourselves after the horrible journey.

The pitch at Victory Road has suffered several recent postponements and a Leiston supporter described the far side as a quagmire.

The team coach finally arrived at 7.50 p.m. The team sheet showed three players missing, signalling that this was always going to be tough ask despite Leiston's recent poor form. Anthony Di Bernado's injury from Saturday looks to be a lay-off that could end his season and he was replaced by Jonny Henly, on loan from Hemel Hempstead. Luke Allen was suffering from a dead leg which brought Damian Scannell back into the starting eleven as did Ugo Udoji's replacement James Folkes. Alex Akrofi was carrying a knock that relegated him to the bench with Andre McCollin starting.

The delayed start seemed to affect both sides equally in a first half in which chances were very much at a premium. Tonbridge survived an early scare when Jack Parter cleared from the line and it took 15 minutes for the Angels to register a shot, albeit a tame one, from McCollin that was comfortably saved.

A miscued cross from Leiston's right that landed on the top of the bar after 19 minutes proved to be the closest either side got to scoring in the first period.

The second half started with greater urgency, perhaps the players had finally got the delay out of their legs. Joe Francis, a constant menace, cut in from the right and shot wide of the far post and at the other end of the field, McCollin forced a low parrying save to his left out of Jacob Marsden.

The home side were beginning to turn the screw with a couple of efforts before they took the lead just past the hour mark. Niko Muir-Merchant was played in at the right hand edge of the six yard box and finished into the far corner.

Leiston's advantage was doubled within three minutes when Muir-Merchant was allowed to run from the left and plant a shot between Henly and the left hand post.

Steve McKimm responded by bringing Dan Thompson and Tommy Whitnall into the fray replacing McCollin and an injured Parter.

When, with 15 minutes remaining, a long throw from Luke Blewden was only cleared to Tom Phipp, whose shot from 18 yards struck the inside of the far post but came back out to be cleared, it was pretty obvious if it hadn't already been, that this was not to be Tonbridge's night.

Thankfully, the journey home was uneventful, finally pulling on to the drive in Staplehurst at 01:15 a.m., tired and just a little dispirited.

Pictures: Chris Coolbear