Match Report

Leverstock Green’s inconsistent form continued as they suffered a second straight defeat after last Saturday’s impressive win over Newport Pagnell. As with Tuesday night’s defeat at Crawley Green, there was also a red card in this game, but this time it was opponents Harefield United who were down to ten men for two-thirds of the game. Despite their numerical disadvantage, Harefield worked hard to keep the Green at bay, in a game that also saw two missed penalties.

For the first time in a home game this season Leverstock were attacking up the slope in the first half. The game’s first effort on goal came in the 11th minute, and it was a stunner from Harefield’s Harry McCorkell, who struck a shot from distance that Matt Fallon got a hand to, but could not prevent from flying into the net.

However, in the 29th minute Harefield were reduced to ten men, as Lindell Stewart was shown a straight red card for striking out at a Green player right in front of the referee.

Leverstock’s first real chance came on 37 minutes as a pass from Luke Peerless put Guiseppe Delgaudio through on goal, but his shot went across goal and wide. Four minutes later a cross from Dan Weeks found Jamie Ovington in the box, but again the resulting shot went wide. The flurry of chances continued as Lenny Farhall shot just over the bar for Harefield on 42 minutes, and a fierce strike from John Smith went just over the bar two minutes later.

In the last minute of the half Farhall looked set to score a second for Harefield as he was clean through, but Fallon got a hand on his shot to tip it into the air, and Mickey Shuttlewood completed the save by sliding in to clear the ball off the line. However, the ball went back to Farhall, who was then brought down by Ovington to present Harefield with a penalty. An extraordinary period of play was completed by Farhall’s penalty being saved by Fallon.

It was only a brief reprieve though, as two minutes into stoppage time Farhall was clean through again with the Leverstock defence looking for an offside flag that did not come, and Farhall unselfishly squared to Samuel Adetiba, who had little more than a tap-in to score a crucial second goal for Harefield on the stroke of half time.

Leverstock made a strong start to the second half. On 51 minutes Cass Grant was brought down just outside the box for a free kick in a similar position from which Peerless had scored in the previous two games. Peerless took the kick again, lifting it over the wall, but it went agonisingly wide and hit the stanchion behind the goal. A minute later Grant was in with a good chance but keeper Reece Mallett came off his line and charged down Grant’s shot.

On 55 minutes Leverstock could have been further behind when they were caught on the break. Farhall was clean through and sent a lob over Fallon, but it hit the base of the post and went wide.

On 69 minutes Tom Littleboy took a corner which looked to be heading straight in until Mallett tipped it over. From the subsequent corner both Shuttlewood and Delgaudio got their heads on the ball but couldn’t divert it on target. Littleboy then pulled the ball back for Steve Hawes, who shot over the bar. Soon after Leverstock had another great chance when Littleboy was brought down in the box and the referee pointed to the spot. Peerless stepped up to take the penalty and sent it to Mallett’s left, but it hit the outside of the post and went wide.

That proved to be the last chance for Leverstock to get back into the game. In fairness they were missing a few important players, and there wasn’t a lot to choose between the teams over the course of the game, but Harefield looked organised and efficient and deserved their win.

Leverstock Green (0) 0
Team: 1. Matt Fallon, 2. Jamie Ovington (15. Brima Johnson 58 mins), 3. Connor Church (17. Will Bisney 79 mins), 4. Dan Weeks, 5. Mickey Shuttlewood, 6. Steve Hawes, 7. Luke Peerless, 8. John Smith, 9. Guiseppe Delgaudio, 10. Tom Littleboy, 11. Cass Grant (14. Kian Wilkes 66 mins). Subs not used: 12. Frank Jowle, 16. James Hall.

Harefield United (2) 2 (McCorkell 11, Adetiba 45+2)
Team: 1. Reece Mallett, 2. Austin Schofield, 3. Steven Green, 4. Harry McCorkell, 5. Joe Clifton, 6. Sean Mangan, 7. Thomas Payne, 8. Samuel Adetiba (14. Kerran Birch 82 mins), 9. Lenny Farhall, 10. Lindell Stewart, 11. Elliott Dobbs. Subs not used: 12. Richard Pacquette, 15. Paul Underwood, 16. Zak Jackson, 17. Jacob Ballheimer.