**Leiston's riding high in the cup — can Hitchin pull off a surprise at home?** 🎯 The visitors haven't dropped a game in their last five and look sharp, but Hitchin's fortress at Mulready has been dangerous lately.

Leiston are the favorites here on form: three wins in their last five with a beastly 5-0 demolition of Grays Athletic. Hitchin, meanwhile, are patchy — two losses mixed in with wins, though they showed real bite beating Royston Town 2-1 away.

Key storylines:

- **Leiston's attacking depth** is frightening; A. Marriott and R. Jarvis have been clinical, and the midfield of F. Alexander and J. Rangel pulls strings
- **Hitchin need to lean on home advantage** — their 3-0 hammering of Biggleswade shows they can turn it on, especially with S. Belgrove and K. Forbes in support
- **This is a tight matchup defensively** — both keep clean sheets regularly, so one clinical moment could be the difference

Expected lineups:

- **Hitchin Town**: J. Mollison, A. Anderson, J. Green, J. Bickerstaff, L. Ferrel, C. Smith, D. Talbot, E. Forde, S. Belgrove, C. Kane, K. Forbes
- **Leiston**: C. Robinson, A. Mills, E. Jackson, K. Callan-McFadden, H. Sayer, F. Alexander, J. Rangel, K. Parchmont, A. Marriott, R. Jarvis, O. Brown

Prediction:

**Leiston 2-1 Hitchin** — Leiston's form and rhythm give them a slight edge, but Hitchin will make them work for it. 🔴