Leiston 0 Lowestoft Town 1: Ben Fowkes nets late winner to arrest poor run of form for Trawlerboys

Ben Fowkes netted a late winner as Lowestoft Town deservedly ended their lean spell by beating hosts Leiston in a CSS League Challenge Cup second round tie at Victory Road last night.

Fowkes drilled home the only goal of the game in the 83rd minute following a quick break from a throw-in, although Seb Dunbar did appear to be fouled before the ball went out of play. Fowkes' angled drive beat keeper Charlie Beckwith and flew into the bottom corner.

Beckwith was named man-of-the-match, and for good reason – he made a half-dozen fine saves in the second period.

It was a first half devoid of clear-cut chances, although Lowestoft, on a dreadful run featuring five defeats and one draw in their previous six games, did at least match their hosts for possession and frequency of shooting.

Kieron Higgs produced the best moment of the half, in the 21st minute, with an angled shot that Beckwith pushed to safety. Blues' left-back Dunbar was not far adrift with a sweet 30-yarder which had keeper Elvjs Putnins worried, but again both teams were restricted to long-range shots before the break, Fowkes going close for the visitors with a 20-yard drive.

Leiston finally got in close, early in the second period, when Finch stabbed into the side-netting by nudging on Hammond's delivery from a corner at the near post.

Otherwise, though, the Trawler Boys were largely in the ascendancy for the last half-hour. Beckwith made three instinctive saves in quick succession on the hour mark, the first two being tremendous blocks to deny Shaun Bammant at point blank range.

Beckwith palmed away a goal-bound effort by Fowkes in the 62nd minute, and made his fifth fine save by beating away a stinging drive from Fowkes.

However, Beckwith was finally beaten by Fowkes' accurate shot, with seven minutes remaining.