ROYSTON TOWN FC v LEISTON FC

Saturday 15^th January 2022

Leiston climbed above Royston in the race for the play-off places, as a late Finlay Barnes penalty saw The Blues grab the three points.

It was Barnes who coolly sent Joe Welch the wrong way from the spot, as his 87th-minute penalty, awarded after Dan Newton had wrestled William Davies to the ground, proved to be the decisive moment.

Having conceded an 87th-minute penalty, the home side promptly gave away another one in the 89th minute, as Ronnie Henry was harshly adjudged to have fouled substitute Spencer Keller. Justice was served though, as Welch proceeded to save Barnes second spot-kick, before pouncing on the rebound.

Earlier, it was Royston who took the lead, as Brandon Adams ran onto an Isaac Galliford through ball, with the Leiston defence having gone AWOL, Adams well-struck shot proved too tricky to handle for away keeper Samuel Donkin, who would have expected to do better.

Although the first half proved a fairly even affair, the away side were the stronger side in the second half and had deservedly equalised in the 77th minute. A deep free-kick from Leiston full-back Joseph Marsden evaded everyone bar the diminutive Adam Mills, who popped up unmarked on the back post, to bury his header, paving the way for Barnes to be Leiston’s last gasp hero.

Royston: 1-Kyriatzis (13-Welch 52), 7-Titchmarsh, 3-Mensah (5-Murray 58), 6, Henry ©, 14-Brighton, 12-Newman (15-Brown 70), 20-Newton, 11-Galliford, 8-Gouldbourne, 10-Bateman, 9-Adams

Unused: 2-Asafu-Adjaye, 19-Brathwaite

MOM – Dimi Kyriatzis/Joe Welch