Match Report

It was a fourth successive league draw for Leverstock Green as they once again got their noses in front in a game but were unable to hold onto their lead. Saturday’s game at Welwyn Garden City was heavily affected by the strong winds, with both sides finding the conditions difficult and creating few chances.

Welwyn had more of the play in the early stages, but it was Leverstock who had the first shot of the game with Juan Pablo Velasco firing well over the bar in the 9th minute. The home side’s best chance came in the 32nd minute when they broke quickly with Bailey Stevenson running through on goal, but Tommy Boxer forced him wide and when Stevenson squared the ball, Carlos Velasco’s shot was cleared off the line by Nat Connolly.

After a scrappy first half, Welwyn had a shout for a handball early in the second half, but the referee waved away the penalty appeals. It was Leverstock who made the breakthrough in the 56th minute. Iker Noguera Leon showed some good footwork on the edge of the box before threading a pass to put Joe McCarthy through on goal, and McCarthy neatly slotted the ball home for his second goal in successive games.

It should have been 2-0 in the 75th minute. McCarthy turned provider as his pass put Jeffrey Sekyere through on goal, but his shot went inches wide of the goal. Instead the home side were level four minutes later. Leverstock lost the ball from a throw-in deep in the opposition half and Welwyn broke quickly. A cross from the right was headed back across goal by Lewis Taaffe, and Steve Cawley met it to finish from close range.

Welwyn had more of the pressure over the closing minutes, but Harry Way had little to do other than claim a couple of crosses, and the game ended 1-1, a fair result over the course of the 90 minutes.

Welwyn Garden City (0) 1 (Cawley 79)
1. Lamar Johnson, 2. Adam Pollock (17. Bradley Bell 71 mins), 3. Eddie Corbit, 4. Jack Green (12. Jed Ejjayha 77 mins), 5. Aiden Read, 6. Brad Gothard, 7. Tom Bruno (16. Layne Eadie H/T), 8. Panny Boxer, 9. Steve Cawley, 10. Bailey Stevenson (15. Ethan Rookard 62 mins), 11. Carlos Velasco (14. Lewis Taaffe 62 mins).
Leverstock Green (0) 1 (McCarthy 56)
1. Harry Way, 2. Callum Neal (15. Thomas Georgiou 86 mins), 3. Rio Beach, 4. Josh Dooley, 20. Tommy Boxer, 6. Nat Connolly, 7. Joe McCarthy, 8. Dan Pett, 9. Jeffrey Sekyere, 10. Juan Pablo Velasco, 11. Iker Noguera Leon (14. Dan Casey 82 mins). Subs not used: 12. Ryan Carruthers, 16. Aldo Petagine, 19. Joel Onu.

Tommy Boxer faced his brother Panny in the WGC lineup. It was the first time in the brothers’ extensive non-league careers that they have played against each other!