Match Report

Leverstock Green’s great run of form continued as they produced an astonishing result against a side that had reached the third round qualifying of the FA Cup on a giant-killing run earlier in the season. It was a superb performance by Scott Dash’s side as they smashed eight goals past Hadley to extend their winning run to five games in all competitions.

The opening minutes of the game were fairly even, but it was Leverstock that opened the scoring in the 12th minute after a great move that flowed from one side of the pitch to the other via Casey Linsell, Curtis Donaldson and Jonathan Lacey. Lacey’s pass released Karl Davidson, whose cross to the far post went over three defenders to find Lewis Bowers, who volleyed home emphatically from the angle of the six-yard box.

The same two players combined for the second Leverstock goal on 33 minutes as Davidson’s pass put Bowers through on goal to confidently strike a shot past Hadley keeper Charlie Mann into the corner of the net.

Hadley came out attacking at the start of the second half, but within two minutes of the restart they had been hit by another Leverstock goal. Donaldson floated a superb pass from his own half to find Lacey in the penalty area, and Lacey juggled the ball over a defender before shooting home an impressive third goal. That goal proved to be the opening of the floodgates. On 54 minutes Davidson robbed Hadley defender Harry Sedgley just outside his own penalty area and crossed for Lacey to slot home his second and Leverstock’s fourth goal of the afternoon.

There was a brief glimmer of hope for the visitors in the 55th minute as Ben Darby conceded a free kick just outside his own box, and Tyrone Mulholland’s low free kick went under the Leverstock wall and into the corner of the net to reduce the arrears to 4-1.

However, within a minute it was 5-1 as Karl Thomas hit a shot from 20 yards which Mann got both hands to but couldn’t keep out. Two minutes later a cross from Bowers found Donaldson on the edge of the six-yard box to head home a simple sixth goal for the Green.

There was still more to come as Davidson added to his three assists with two goals of his own. On 68 minutes a cross from Linsell was headed away, but only to the edge of the penalty area where Davidson met it with a rasping shot into the net. Three minutes from time a pass from Donaldson put Davidson through to shoot home his second and Leverstock’s eighth goal against a dispirited Hadley side.

It was a memorable afternoon for the Leverstock followers, and it is clear to see the confidence currently flowing through the side as the goals have started to fly in – the five straight wins in all competitions have produced 24 goals with only 6 conceded. Next Saturday sees a visit to Hoddesdon Town for a league match.