Leiston ended FC Clacton’s hopes of a good FA Cup run with a resounding 5-0 win at the appropriately named Victory Road. The Seasiders had travelled to Suffolk with hopes of a giant killing but in Leiston’s quality was too much as the Ryman League side comfortably advanced to the First Qualifying Round.

Having reached the ground without any of the drama that preceded the previous round, with Baz skilfully avoiding all traffic hazards on the road to Leiston, the signs of danger on the pitch were there early on for Clacton. A ball over the top put ex-Seasider Lee McGlone through but the ball would not quite sit down for the striker and Tom Austin did well to get back and nick the ball away as McGlone was about to shoot.

However a very similar move after nine minutes did produce a Leiston goal as another high ball was flicked on for Patrick Brothers, looking suspiciously offside, to run onto and slot past Joe Playle.

After their early setback Clacton slowly worked their way into the game, battling gamely without ever really threatening, whilst the home team were looking a threat especially in wide areas with Michael and Patrick Brothers ever dangerous.

For all their class there was however a massive slice of fortune with Leiston’s second goal midway through the half. A long throw was only cleared to the edge of the box and when the ball was fired back in it took not one but two deflections, the last off the chest of McGlone to divert the ball past the helpless Playle.

Any lingering hopes that Clacton harboured of an unlikely second half comeback were dashed on the stroke of half time when a short corner routine saw the ball played back to Michael Brothers who flighted a deft ball into the area where neither keeper or defender attacked it leaving Neil Calver the simple task of glancing home.

Half time saw Billy Wales replace Kyelan Marvell, still suffering from a knock to the head during the first half, and a re-organisation of the back line and the young midfielder gave the Clacton game a much more control when in possession moving the ball around neatly from a position just in front of the back four.  

That control was not yet evidence when, in the opening minutes of the half, Leiston scored their fourth when a break down the right saw Nathan Stone meet a cross with an excellent diving header.

Clacton did finally start to make an impression on the game and a good move put Karl Andrade in down the left and when his low cross was not fully cleared they Seasiders had a decent looking penalty claim as Sean Hillier went down under a challenge as he went to shoot.

Despite Clacton’s brightest spell of the match so far it was the home side that scored their fifth before the hour as Stone outwitted makeshift left back Matt Cripps by the corner flag and his low cross found its way to Patrick Brothers who fired home for his second of the match.

Clacton thought that they finally had something to cheer when a smart piece of interplay saw Matt Waters fire home only for his effort to be ruled out for offside. A minute later the winger went close again, whistling a shot just wide after a one-two with Karl Andrade.

With fifteen minutes to go Clacton nearly presented Leiston with a sixth when a poor pass gave the ball away to substitute Angelo Harrop but his shot went just wide.

So, the FA Cup dream is over for another year, although against a side of the quality of Leiston it was always going to be a tall order to get any kind of result. Beaver’s men will now re-focus their efforts as they look to gain revenge for the opening day defeat inflicted by Ely when we meet in our FA Vase clash next Saturday.