Match Report

Leverstock Green’s FA Vase hopes were ended at the first hurdle as a poor display saw them well beaten at home by Combined Counties League side AFC Hayes.

The first half was evenly-contested, with both sides having a number of half-chances. Matt Fallon made a couple of saves in the opening 15 minutes to keep the visitors out. Miickey Shuttlewood headed just wide from a corner in the 22nd minute after Sidney Gueye had threatened down the right. Three minutes later Luke Peerless got on the end of another corner but his header also went wide. On 31 minutes Adiel Mannion won the ball from a defender and ran on to square the ball into the six yard box, but Gueye couldn’t quite get to it before the keeper. Mannion had the ball in the net with a great finish on 41 minutes, but the linesman had already put the offside flag up.

It looked like the teams would go into the break deadlocked, but deep into stoppage time Leverstock were attacking with a long throw into the AFC Hayes box, but were then caught short at the back as the visitors broke away quickly, and Shawn Wheeler connected with a cross from the left to shoot home a crucial goal on the stroke of half time.

The second half was a major disappointment as Leverstock seldom looked like getting back into the match. The task became even harder on 58 minutes when they were caught on the break again from their own free kick, and Trey Ponder-Brown shot home a second goal for AFC Hayes. A third goal struck by Wheeler on 64 minutes ended the tie as a contest, although AFC Hayes ended the tie with ten men after Theo Alexander was sent off for a second yellow card in the 90th minute.

After three straight defeats, Leverstock now have ten days before their next match, which is a home league match against North Greenford United on Tuesday week.

Leverstock Green (0) 0
Team: 1. Matt Fallon, 2. Brima Johnson, 3. Dan Weeks, 4. Gary Wallace, 5. Mickey Shuttlewood, 6. John Smith (16. Guiseppe Delgaudio 60 mins), 7. James Hall, 8. Luke Peerless, 9. Sidney Gueye, 10. Frank Jowle (14. Elgeniy Daalberg 60 mins), 11. Adiel Mannion.
Subs not used: 15. Steve Hawes, 17. Cass Grant, 18. Jamie Ovington, 19. Will Bisney.

AFC Hayes (1) 3 (Wheeler 45+4, 64, Ponder-Brown 58)
Team: 1. Tom Clark, 2. Shane Kettle (17. Harry Smith 78 mins), 3. Harry Bishop (15. Theo Alexander 40 mins), 4. George Harmes (12. Charlie Quinnell 69 mins), 5. Charlie Howes, 6. Mason Yorke, 7. Bruno Manuel, 8. Jordan Mukasa, 9. Mourad Jarraz, 10. Shawn Wheeler, 11. Trey Ponder-Brown.
Subs not used: 14. Sean Inkpen, 16. Harry Linehan.