Stamford AFC are beaten by Leiston in the Southern League Premier Division Central

Stamford saw a two-goal lead slip to lose late on at Leiston on Saturday.

The Daniels had made a flying start to the Southern League Premier Division Central clash when Lee Shaw and Tendai Chitiza scored inside the opening nine minutes.

However, Leiston cut the deficit on the stroke of half-time before equalising midway through the second half.

They then hit an injury-time winner to leave Stamford to return home empty-handed from their longest trip of the season to the Suffolk coast in the first-ever meeting of the two clubs.

There were two changes to the Stamford starting line-up following the win at Long Eaton with Billy Bennett and Rob Morgan coming in for Connor Bartle and Tom Siddons.

The hosts included in their team ex-Stamford goalkeeper Sam Donkin who was part of the Daniels squad that reached the first round proper of the FA Cup in 2016.

Stamford came out the traps quickly and took the lead after three minutes. The ball was crossed from Mike Armstrong to Shaw who headed past Donkin.

This was followed by a corner from Bennett which James Blunden met but his header was over the bar. Morgan then met a flick-on at the near post which Donkin pulled off a reflex save.

Stamford doubled their lead on nine minutes when good pressure saw a clearance from Leiston only find Harry Vince and he teed up Chitiza who was free on the edge of the area and he bent the ball past Donkin.

After a few minutes, Leiston began to find a foothold into the game and Eddie Jackson forced Michael Duggan into a save.

As half-time approached, Morgan again forced Donkin into a save but Leiston got a goal back when a long-range effort from Jack Manly was spilled by Duggan and George Quantrell was first to the ball to score.

Leiston started brightly after the break and Duggan was forced to save an effort from Jamar Loza.

Stamford still looked dangerous and Bennett made a strong run into the box and forced Donkin into a save.

Leiston got themselves level on 64 minutes when a long-range effort from Ross Crane found the bottom corner with Duggan seemingly unsighted.

It was now Leiston in the ascendancy, but they could not find the opening to trouble Duggan.

Stamford also looked for a way to find a winner and the game seemed to be heading for a draw.

However, this changed deep into injury time when the home side were awarded a free kick on the edge of the area.

Christopher Casement stepped up and put his setpiece over the Daniels wall and into the top corner of the net.