A draw would have been enough for a best-ever third place finish in the SSML Premier Division and a home tie in the playoffs, but one moment of madness at the back meant that Leverstock Green will be away to Harpenden Town in next week’s promotion playoff semi-final. Other than that, the game would have been the most mundane of 0-0 draws with barely a chance created at either end.

The goal came in the 38th minute when Gary Connolly nodded the ball back towards his keeper, but Josh Bowler wasn’t ready and missed the ball, and could only watch as it rolled back into the empty net.

The Leverstock side were unable to get going all night, with passes going astray, runs heading down blind alleys and set piece deliveries that went straight to the Tring keeper. There was a half-chance for Callum Neal late in the first half, but his shot went over the bar. The second half was a similar story with the Tring defence comfortably handling anything that the Green side could throw at them, while themselves creating little to trouble Bowler. There was a glimmer of hope in stoppage time when Leverstock were awarded a free kick in a dangerous position, but Lewis Collins’ shot flew just over the bar.

It was a disappointing result but it was only a second league defeat since Christmas for this Leverstock side, who have equalled the club’s highest-ever league finish of 4th in 2010/11 and have a shot of clinching promotion to Step 4 via the playoffs. The semi-final will take place at Rothamsted Park on Wednesday 1st May, with a 7.45 pm kick-off.

Leverstock also have the Gladwish Challenge Trophy final on May 11th to look forward to, and a chance of a second cup final when they travel to Tring for a second meeting in four days in the semi-finals of the St Mary’s Cup.

Leverstock Green (0) 0
1. Josh Bowler, 2. Callum Neal, 3. Mikey Havill-Tierney (15. Ethan Mooney 52 mins), 4. Josh Dooley, 5. Gary Connolly (14. Curtis Dibley 90+4 mins), 6. Nat Connolly, 7. Luke Beckwith, 8. Dan Pett, 9. Guiseppe Delgaudio, 10. George Mitchell-Gears (12. Lewis Collins 73 mins), 11. Ademide Baruwa. Subs not used: 16. Jayden Newman, 17. Dan Weeks.
Tring Athletic (1) 1 (G.Connolly og 38)
1. Dan Gould, 3. Adam Sawyer, 4. Greg Deer, 6. Noah Butler (19. Harrison Mead 81 mins), 7. Frankie Hercules (14. Bailey Osbourne 71 mins), 8. Jack Harvey (15. Charlie Bradshaw 87 mins), 11. Harry Jones, 12. Benjamin Kakembo (10. Max Hercules 61 mins), 13. George Carbery, 16. Dave O’Connor, 20. Harry Shepherd.

It was deja vu all over again for Leverstock Green today, as they scored two goals before half time after a slow start, let their opponents back into the game with 20 minutes to play, but held on for a crucial three points, just as they had at Baldock on Thursday night.

Fergus Moore continues to rotate his squad through this demanding schedule, with injuries to Guiseppe Delgaudio and Ryan Carruthers meaning further changes from Thursday’s starting line-up.

Visitors Shefford are at the wrong end of the table, but looked marginally the better side in the early stages. Leverstock’s first real attack came in the 17th minute when a cross from Ethan Mooney found Luke Beckwith, but he couldn’t get enough on his header to divert it on target. However, five minutes later the crucial breakthrough came. Nat Connolly won the ball off a defender just outside the box and fed Rawn Seale, who played a pass to put Beckwith through on goal. Beckwith rifled the ball into the roof of the net to put Leverstock into a 1-0 lead.

Two minutes later the lead was doubled, as Gary Connolly floated a superb cross into the box, which could have been finished by any of the three players who were coming in to meet it, but it was George Mitchell-Gears who got the touch to divert it into the net.

Leverstock were comfortably ahead at the break, but once again they did not really get going in the second half. Shefford were seeing more of the ball, and it was no surprise when they pulled a goal back in the 74th minute. Josh Bowler parried away a shot from outside the box, but young substitute Alf Roffey followed up to net the rebound and put his side back in the game. It was a difficult finish to the game, but the closest that Shefford came to equalising was in the 86th minute when Kurtis Alleyne shot over tha bar from a good cross. Two minutes into stoppage time Curtis Dibley almost added a third for Leverstock, but the keeper did well to turn it away.

For much of the afternoon it looked like Leverstock might be able to clinch third place and a home playoff tie with a game to spare, but a late winner for Harpenden at Dunstable saw them stay ahead in third place on goal difference. Now Leverstock require a point from Tuesday night’s final league game against Tring to snatch third place and home advantage. Either way it is confirmed that Leverstock will be playing Harpenden in the playoff semi-final on Wednesday 1st May.

Skipper Dan Weeks was playing his 250th game for the club, and was rewarded for a fine display by being nominated as Man of the Match.

Leverstock Green (2) 2 (Beckwith 22, Mitchell-Gears 24)
1. Josh Bowler, 2. Gary Connolly, 3. Rio Beach, 4. Dan Weeks, 5. Paul Marks, 6. Nat Connolly (12. Ademide Baruwa 66 mins), 7. Luke Beckwith (16. Callum Moore 90 mins), 8. Dan Pett, 9. Rawn Seale (17. Jayden Newman 56 mins), 10. George Mitchell-Gears (14. Curtis Dibley 73 mins), 11. Ethan Mooney. Sub not used: 15. Josh Dooley
Shefford Town & Campton (0) 1 (Roffey 74)
1.Reece Lewis, 2. Vinnie Baker, 3. Chris Uchenna, 4. Frankie Webster (15. Luke Carter 71 mins), 5. Charlie Milton, 6. Dempsey Thomas, 9. Amir Hadi, 10. Sam Day (17. Luke Baranowski 81 mins), 11. Scott Metcalfe (7. Alf Roffey 65 mins), 16. Carmichael Uchenna, 20. Kurtis Alleyne. Sub not used: 14. Kane Dougherty.