BRAVEHEARTS – AT THE LEIST!

AN 84TH-MINUTE winner from debu-tant striker Michael Petrasso saw Barnet edge through to the first round – but only after held off a late brave Leiston march threatened to cause a cup upset at Victory Road.

- Mark Tuxford

Petrasso’s late intervention settled a pulsating affair which saw Leiston – rock bottom of Pitching In Southern Premier Central – twice take the lead in the opening 20 minutes.

Petrasso and a JJ Hooper penalty in first-half stoppage-time twice restored partity for the Bees before Petrasso scrambled home the winner from close range.

Preparation for Peter Beadle’s Bees was hardly ideal with no fewer than nine of their first-team squad testing positive for Covid-19, including the manager himself, leaving assistant Steve Jenkins in charge and only three substitutes on the bench.