Written By : Tony Stone on 09/02/2025

Categories: Match Report

It was an excited group of Ultras that joined the players boarding the coach at the Community Centre for the trip to Leiston. Along with those travelling by car, they made up half of the crowd of 74, who watched this tight game, and saw Henley progress to the semi-final with a late Ballard goal.

Henley were straight on the front foot, a snap shot from Tejano needing a good stop after only 4 minutes. The young Leiston keeper Gee (only signed the day before, with the usual U23 keeper called up for 1st team action) again making a fine save, low down to his right, to deny Cole after 15 minutes. Henley kept the pressure up, Storey and Bell seeing headers blocked or narrowly wide, Hooley a constant threat, Gee again doing well to keep hold of his venomous low drive after 38 minutes.

Henley dominated possession in the opening half, restricting the slick passing and quick Leiston side to trying to get out on the break, but they failed to test Punter in the Henley goal, leaving it 0-0 at HT

Henley started the second half in the same vein, have a decent looking shout for handball denied in the 49th minute. Henley really had Leiston pinned back now as they pushed for the win, White shooting just over and Storey heading inches wide. Manager Brown played his trump card, swapping all of his front 3, Dende, Ballard and Wharton-Richardson joining the fray.

Almost immediately, Gee was again called into action, making a fine save to deny Wharton-Richardson. Dende immediately created a problem with his pace, Ballard seeing an effort go over the bar and Tejano seeing an effort blocked.

As the clock ticked into time added on, it looked like Leiston would hold on for the lottery of penalties, when Dende broke down the right and fired in a low cross, which Ballard was on hand to finish from 6 yards for 0-1 after 94 minutes. Sending the travelling Ultras into raptures and the Hens through to a semi-final.

Yet again, a real team performance from the Henley lads, with everyone playing their part, Hooley just pipped Shore to the MOTM award (the former christening the latter as “The Henley Cafu” later that evening), but frankly you could’ve made a case for most of the lads winning it. As for Leiston, they play some lovely football and are clearly well coached, despite being under pressure for the entire game, their heads didn’t drop once. It was only the lack of a cutting edge that held them back, as they failed to get one effort on target in the whole game, seeing Punter get his fourth consecutive clean sheet for the Hens. At the other end, young keeper Gee, must surely have won their MOTM award for a great performance.

Our thanks go to all at Leiston for their welcome, especially the cheerful barman, who had one of his busiest Saturdays for a while, but seemed to thoroughly enjoy himself. In my opinion the best stocked bar in Suffolk football and terrific post match pizza too.

The Henley coach didn’t leave Leiston until close to 7 p.m with celebrations continuing until late in the night back at the Henley Cross Keys, who we would also like to thank for the welcome they gave us.

PS (quality and accuracy of report, may have been affected by beverage intake)