Match Report

Tuesday night’s Herts Charity Shield first round tie was something of an unwanted fixture for Leverstock Green, coming four days before their FA Cup Second Qualifying Round tie against Dorking Wanderers, especially as it was a tie that should have been played during pre-season. As would be expected, it was a much-changed Leverstock side that took the field, including several players from the under-18 side. By contrast, Welwyn Garden City had a very strong side out, including many of the squad that won promotion from the SSML last season.

The inexperienced Green side found it tough from the start, with a shot from George Ironton putting the home side 1-0 up with just over two minutes played, and Jay Rolfe adding the second with a shot in off the post in the 13th minute. Further clinical strikes from Rolfe on 34 minutes and Adam Hunt on 42 minutes put Welwyn into a 4-0 half time lead.

It was a much-improved display from the Green side in the second half, and when a defender and the keeper got themselves into a muddle, Alex Yearwood was able to tap in a consolation goal on 56 minutes. They had a chance to pull back a second goal on 68 minutes when the keeper was adjudged to have handled a backpass, but the indirect free-kick from the edge of the six-yard box was blocked on the line. A precise finish on the break from Jon Clements made it 5-1 to Welwyn on 76 minutes, and Hunt completed the scoring two minutes from time with his second goal.

It was a heavy defeat in the end, but the side never let their heads go down and the young players came out of the game with a lot of credit, and will have gained valuable experience from playing against such a good team. Leverstock can now put this game behind them and focus on Saturday’s mouth-watering FA Cup tie.