Leiston 1 Soham Town Rangers 1 (Soham win 5-3 on penalties)

GIANT-killing Soham Town Rangers booked their place in the fourth round of the Ryman League Cup by edging past Leiston on Tuesday night.

Steve Fallon’s men took the lead courtesy of Robbie Mason’s sixth-minute goal and held it right up until the 89th minute when Gareth Heath converted a penalty for the hosts to send the tie to a shoot out.

Fortunately, the hosts failed to carry their momentum into the spot kicks and successful efforts from Mason, Louis Baucutt, Joe Asensi, Lewis McDonald and Jack Sessions handed Soham the win and their ticket to the next round.

Their cup success came just three days after a stunning 7-2 win over AFC Sudbury at Julius Martin Lane.

A hat-trick of penalties for Buster Harradine and a hat-trick on debut for striker Luke Stanley set the Greens on their way, with Robbie Mason bagging his 13th of the season to complete the rout.

Stanley, signed last week from Kershaw League side Linton Granta, was straight into the action on his debut, earning Soham a penalty just eight minutes in, with Harradine applying the finishing touch.

Stanley was on the scoresheet himself just two minutes later as he nodded home from close range and the Greens were all but out of sight by the 19th minute when Harradine converted his second penalty of the afternoon.

The left-winger was instrumental for large parts of the match and it was his pin-point cross that found Mason in the box after 28 minutes to make it 4-0 to the hosts.

A third spot-kick was awarded Soham’s way in the 57th minute and the result was the same as the first two as Harradine completed his hat-trick.

Stanley added his second midway through the half before Sudbury pulled a goal back, Lee Boylan firing past Dan Bircham from range.

Substitute Joe Asensi delivered superbly into the box for Stanley to complete his hat-trick but it was Sudbury who had the final say, Michael Shinn finishing well from just inside the area.

The win moves Fallon’s improving side up into 12th place in the Ryman Division One North, ahead of Saturday’s visit of promotion-chasers Potters Bar Town.