Leiston — Coventry United: 3:1, FA Cup

Leiston saw off Coventry United 3-1 in the third round qualifying of the FA Cup on 3 October 2026. The result keeps their campaign alive while Coventry's hopes take a blow. It was a match decided in bursts rather than sustained pressure.

E. Jackson opened the scoring at the 28th minute, and here's the thing — you could see the weight lifting off Leiston's shoulders. Coventry responded quickly. N. Aitkens equalised just eight minutes later at 36, pulling the strings for his side. But Leiston reclaimed the lead before half-time when A. Mills found the net at 42.

The second half settled into a pattern. Coventry pushed for an equaliser but Leiston held firm. C. Dunn sealed the victory at 80, ending a barren spell for his club. By then, the visitors had run out of legs, and the home side saw the game out without panic.

Leiston dominated possession at 57 per cent and registered 96 attacks compared to Coventry's 79. They earned six corners to four and drew one yellow card while the visitors picked up two. The figures tell part of the story — more attacks, more possession, but the match was decided by those three moments in the first half.

This result moves Leiston closer to the next stage. Coventry United will need to regroup quickly if they want to salvage something from this campaign. The scoreline reflects a game where timing mattered more than territory.