Match Report

Leverstock Green played their final group match in the Gladwish/SSML Spring Cup on Saturday, knowing that they were already eliminated from the competition. It was a depleted squad which faced already-qualified London Lions, and the Division One side dominated the match for long periods, although they had to wait until the last quarter of the match to find the net. The strong wind didn’t help to make the game any more of a spectacle.

Adi Connolly produced his first good save of the match in the 11th minute, turning a long-range shot from Austin Lipman onto the bar, and an effort from the rebound went over the bar. Frank Jowle had Leverstock’s first shot in the 15th minute, which was comfortably saved by the keeper. The home side had a goal disallowed for offside on 20 minutes, while Ollie Lawford had an attempt from a free kick 30 yards out just before half time that went just wide.

London Lions continued to have most of the possession in the second half, and they finally broke through the Leverstock defence in the 70th minute with a neat passing move, Max Kyte playing a one-two before shooting home from the edge of the box. Connolly denied the home side a second goal in the 77th minute when he turned a shot from Adam Arnold round the post, but the second goal arrived two minutes later when Ethan Mooney turned inside the box and slotted a shot past Connolly. Micky Perkins added the third goal in the third minute of stoppage time with a glancing header from a corner.