Match Report

Leverstock Green followed up last week’s win at Wembley with another good performance, but they were unfortunate to come away from Saturday’s visit to Harpenden Town with nothing. Former Green keeper Carl Tasker was in inspired form in the Harpenden goal, and a late header from a corner clinched their 1-0 win.

There were three more new players in the Leverstock squad today. Defender Grant Fry has joined on loan from AFC Dunstable, while forward William Akinola and midfielder Jamie Fulton have joined from Northwood.

There were plenty of chances for both sides in the first half. In the 9th minute a corner from Kerran Lataille dropped for Seldyn Grant, whose shot was saved by the legs of Tasker. Two minutes later at the other end a shot from Archie McLelland was cleared off the line. On 22 minutes there was a let-off for Leverstock as a stray back pass put Harry Hunt through on goal, but his shot went across goal and wide. Two minutes later there was another chance for the Green, as a goal kick from Ryan Schmid found Luke Nugent, who passed to set up a shooting chance for Reece Cameron, but it went wide.

In the 27th minute a great pass from Mark Smith put Luis Brooker through, but Tasker did well to tip his shot over the bar. There was another chance for Grant three minutes later from a free kick, but his effort went into the side netting, as did an effort from Brooker two minutes later after a pass from Lataille put him through on goal.

Five minutes before the break the home side had another chance when the ball was given away on the halfway line. James Yates ran on and hit a shot which hit the underside of the bar and came down on the right side of the line from the Leverstock perspective. On 42 minutes Fry made a run down the left and squared for Smith, whose shot was kept out by another good save from Tasker.

Three minutes into the second half Tasker saved again, turning a shot from Lataille round the post after a good cross from Nugent. Fulton came off the bench for his debut in the 57th minute and quickly started to make an impression, hitting a shot which brought another save out of Tasker.

The second half generally produced fewer chances than the first, and with the minutes ticking down, it looked like the game was heading for a goalless draw, especially after Schmid produced a great save in the 89th minute to turn a shot round the post. However, from the resulting corner Will McLelland got up highest to head into the corner of the net to put the home side in front.

Even then Leverstock had two good chances to get a point out of the game. In the last minute Paplamin Jawara was sent clear down the left and had players queuing up in the box to score, but his cross was cleared by the first defender. In stoppage time Harry Barratt went on a great run down the left and was able to square the ball to set up a great chance for Luke Preedy, who hit his shot well but it was tipped over the bar by a brilliant save from Tasker.

That proved enough to clinch the win for Harpenden, but there were plenty of positives for the young Leverstock team to take from this performance. Next up is a tough visit to Baldock Town on Wednesday night.