Match Report

Leverstock Green paid the price for a first half penalty miss as for the second game in a row they were beaten by a late goal to begin their league campaign with a defeat in a tight game at Tring Athletic.

There were few chances early on, with the game’s first real near miss coming on 24 minutes when Curtis Donaldson cut in from the left and hit a superb dipping shot from distance which hit the Tring crossbar.

Four minutes later there was an even better chance for Donaldson as Alex McCarthy was brought down while trying to turn inside the box. The referee pointed straight to the penalty spot, however Tring keeper Jack Hopwood guessed correctly and dived to his right to save Donaldson’s spot kick.

Donaldson was denied for a third time on 35 minutes after good work by Aaron Lewis set him up to hit a shot from outside the box which Hopwood turned round the post, and again three minutes into the second half when his chipped free kick from the edge of the box was tipped over the bar by Hopwood.

Liam Jahn had his first real save to make from a shot by Ryan Sturges on 54 minutes, but within a minute Leverstock broke quickly and the ball was played through to Lewis Bowers, who shot wide. On the hour Tring had another chance when Sturges crossed to the far post but Dave O’Connor headed over the bar, and for the next few minutes the pressure was in the Leverstock box as Tring put over a series of dangerous crosses and corners.

Hopwood continued to deny Leverstock at the other end, pushing away a shot from Lewis on 76 minutes, and parrying a shot from Joel Williams four minutes later, with Lewis unable to get on the end of the rebound. A quick break from Tring then found Chris Vardy through on goal, but Shane Wood got back to put in a great tackle.

The game looked to be heading for a stalemate, but six minutes from time Tring produced one of the night’s few moments of quality as they broke quickly with three one-touch passes before Sturges put a great diagonal ball into the box where substitute Chris Stapleton came in to head home what proved to be the winner.

Leverstock certainly deserved something from the game, with the back four putting in a particularly solid display all night, however their inability to take their chances at the other end proved costly. They must now look to open their league account on Saturday when St Margaretsbury are the visitors to Pancake Lane.