Ransomes Sports skipper Mo Fike scored in the 90th minute to finally put this cup tie to bed and secure a quarter final draw against the winners of either AFC Kesgrave or Capel Plough.
Leiston St. Margarets started in the ascendancy but their efforts were to no avail as they barely landed a glancing blow on a youthful visiting side that coped well in those opening exchanges. Ransomes meanwhile looked lively on the counterattack and edged ahead on 13 minutes. Luke Andrews persistence in the challenge won him the ball inside the Saints penalty area with the youngster bludgeoning a low shot from 12 yards past the home keeper that went in off the far post.
Ransomes continued on the front foot and threatened to cut loose after Andrews’ first goal. Leiston St. Margarets had been good in the first ten minutes or so but Ransomes had started to push them back, to assume control. Now they looked to turn the screw.
Yani Duka had the home keeper at full stretch. The keeper then made a superb triple save from Duka, Harry Matthews and Mo Fike as the ball pinballed around the home six-yard box and the home side were struggling to cope with Ransomes’ alacrity on the break.
Brandon Thomas was next to test the keeper as the visitors continued to ask all the questions.
Missing in action during that opening half hour, Leiston St. Margarets wanted to show why they had defeated higher league opposition in the previous round and the game now had a different feel. They should have been out of contention, three or four goals down in that opening spell. Now they sensed that the equaliser was there for them and on 32 minutes they pounced.
It was not so much they created the moment but rather Ransomes handed them the opportunity to break and, in the blink of an eye, the visitors had been pegged back – game on.
Five minutes later and Ransomes retook the lead. Mo Fike found himself unmarked at the back post from Jack Randall’s corner. His control was sweet and his finish even sweeter as he fired home through a crowd of half-hearted defenders.
Just two minutes elapsed as Ransomes added to that lead. Mo Fike’s slick pass to Yani Duka found him with his back to goal. He was all but unmolested in the heart of the home defence as he conducted a series of keepy uppy’s before an ensuing imperious swivel saw him turn and volley home in style. All that remained was to admire the technique.
At this stage, Leiston St. Margarets were stuck in their own rut, unable to knit any sequences together, so Ransomes kindly aided them with their latest defensive farce on 43 minutes as a whirlwind first half drew to a close.
The opening period following the interval break was a turgid affair in comparision. Both teams struggled to dominate or create any clear chances – that was until Yani Duka created space on the right hand with his dancing feet and his cut back from the by-line was ruthlessly rifled home by Luke Andrews on 75 minutes.
The goal came about at a time when the Saints were still working their way back into this game in search of an equaliser, but there was an ecstatic response to this dramatic game as the home side reduced the deficit to one goal yet again by converting an 80th minute penalty which ensured plenty of tension during the remaining ten minutes. It made for a nervous ending in respect of Ransomes but Leiston St. Margarets did not have an answer and the visitors survived as Mo Fike went on to put the result beyond doubt as he slammed home a fifth in the very last attack of the game. The goal sparked wild celebratory scenes within the Ransomes on-field ranks as they confirmed progression to the quarter finals.