Match Report

Leverstock Green won their second successive league match, with Curtis Donaldson scoring another double as they came from behind to beat Leighton Town 2-1 at Pancake Lane.

Leighton arrived having not yet won a league game since relegation from the Southern League, but they were ahead in the 7th minute. James Towell’s ball allowed Matthew Bateman to outstrip Rowland Smith down the left, and although Liam Jahn managed to parry away Bateman’s shot from a narrow angle, the rebound fell at the feet of Ben Gallant for a tap-in to open the scoring.

Their lead only lasted for six minutes, though. Jonathan Lacey threaded a great pass to put Curtis Donaldson through on goal, and he calmly slotted the ball past keeper Jack Sillitoe for the equaliser.

Two minutes later Lacey put over a good cross which was just too high for Lewis Bowers to get a clean header on, and Ross Adams shot wide from the loose ball. Leverstock went close again in the 21st minute when Karl Thomas headed just wide from a Donaldson free kick.

On 23 minutes Lacey delivered a corner which was headed away, but only as far as Donaldson just outside the box, and what followed was no surprise as Donaldson lashed home a volley to put Leverstock into a 2-1 lead.

Two minutes later at the other end Jahn had to turn a shot from Jordan Davis around the post. Later in the half Donaldson was just wide with another couple of efforts, and in the last minute of the half Lacey tried to chip Sillitoe from 25 yards, but it floated just over the bar.

The second half should have seen Leverstock add to their lead as the visitors were frequently guilty of giving the ball away in their own half. In the 50th minute Brima Johnson’s pass put Donaldson clean through again, and he looked to have completed a hat-trick as he slipped the ball past Sillitoe, but it drifted inches wide of the post. Three minutes later Shane Wood’s header from a corner was saved. On the hour Leverstock broke quickly from a Leighton free kick, with Bowers and Lacey combining to set up substitute Bradley Hedges, but his shot was saved.

Having not increased their lead, the Green side had to endure a nervous last 15 minutes as Leighton rallied towards the end. There were a couple of dangerous balls across the box, which no-one got on the end of, and six minutes from time Jahn had to react sharply to save from Lolu Onabolu from close range. Leighton had an even better chance in stoppage time as Matthew Hewitt got to the bye-line and pulled the ball back for Mark Smith, but Smith’s shot brought out a great save from Jahn.

Leverstock manager Paul Hunt was pleased that his side continued their good work from the previous week, and although they should have won more comfortably, getting the three points was the most important thing.

This coming Wednesday night Leverstock are away to Hoddesdon Town in the first round of the Premier Division Cup (being played at Ware F.C.), and next Saturday they face a Dacorum Derby with a league visit to Berkhamsted.