Match Report

It was another heartbreaker for Leverstock Green as once again they were denied a full three points by an equaliser deep into stoppage time. Leverstock had defended superbly throughout and certainly deserved the win, but a goal out of nothing in the sixth minute of stoppage time meant they only came away with a point.

There were two new signings in the Leverstock lineup, with Carmicheal Uchenna, signed from AFC Dunstable starting at left back, while Kombe Kawimbe, signed on a youth loan from neighbours Hemel Hempstead Town came on as a second half substitute.

It was a game of few chances, especially in the first half. There had been little action of note before the incident that led to Leverstock taking the lead in the 40th minute. A through pass from Iker Noguera Leon put Joe McCarthy in behind the last defender. McCarthy’s shot was partially stopped by keeper Liam Gooch, but as he chased the ball trickling towards goal, he was brought down. The referee awarded the penalty, and although Jeffrey Sekyere’s spot kick was saved by Gooch, Sekyere got to the rebound first to put Leverstock a goal up.

There could have been a second goal in stoppage time as a through ball found Sekyere, who nodded the ball past Gooch, but it was heading away from goal and McCarthy couldn’t quite get to it.

In the second half Leverstock were playing against the slope, plus the wind and increasingly heavy rain, but they still reduced Stotfold to few chances. Leverstock keeper Ashton Broome-Alexander produced good saves to keep out a cross that missed everybody in the 53rd minute, and in the 65th minute when Stotfold broke away and Ashley Kersey was through on goal.

At times Leverstock had difficulty getting the ball out of their own half, but still had some promising moments. In the 64th minute a pass from Sekyere gave Iker Noguera Leon a run at goal, but a great tackle from a defender forced a corner. From the resulting corner Dan Casey’s header brought a save out of Gooch.

As the match went deep into stoppage time Leverstock still held their lead and looked to have taken everything that Stotfold had thrown at them, but in the sixth minute of added time a hopeful ball was pumped into the box from the halfway line and Kersey got on the end of it with a looping header that left Broome-Alexander stranded and found the net, leaving Leverstock to once again rue their absence of luck.

Leverstock Green (1) 1 (Sekyere 40)
1. Ashton Broome-Alexander, 2. Dan Casey, 3. Carmicheal Uchenna, 4. Dan Pett, 5. Callum Neal, 6. Ryan Carruthers, 7. Joe McCarthy (16. Marcus Warren 88 mins), 8. Nat Connolly (14. Kombe Kawimbe 74 mins), 9. Jeffrey Sekyere (19. Jack Allen 90+4 mins), 10. George Mitchell-Gears, 11. Iker Noguera Leon (15. Radu-Mihai Stefanoaica 76 mins). Sub not used: 12. Rio Beach.
Stotfold (0) 1 (Kersey 90+6)
1. Liam Gooch, 2. Enock Ekongo, 4. James Peters, 5. Daniel Sears, 6. Lewis Thomas, 7. Luca Cardines (10. Lucas Titchmarsh 72 mins), 8. Jake Bunyan (16. Aaron Diviney 86 mins), 9. Henry Snee, 11. Codi Spavins (15. Hamid Seisay 78 mins), 12.Sebastian Simpson, 19. Ashley Kersey. Subs not used: 3. Ola Okeowo, 14. Romero Smart-Tull.