Match Report

Leverstock Green only had to avoid defeat against 12th place Crawley Green to secure their first top half finish for five years, but it was not to be as they spurned countless chances in an extraordinary match which was anything but a tame end-of-season affair between two mid-table sides.

It was an open game from the outset, with the visitors having their first chance in the second minute of the game, Tom Barnet having a shot saved by Liam Jahn in a goalmouth scramble following a corner. A minute later at the other end Leverstock went close when Casey Linsell delivered a cross from the left touchline and Danilson Vicente got to it ahead of keeper Charlie Yates, but headed wide.

That was Vicente’s first missed chance of the day, but certainly not his last. In the 8th minute a pass from Karl Davidson put Vicente through on goal, but he shot over the bar. Three minutes later Crawley took the lead from another scramble following a corner, with Mark Smith putting the ball away.

In the 17th minute Curtis Donaldson found Jonathan Lacey, who threaded a pass through to Zak Howells, but he shot into the side netting. Two minutes later at the other end Jahn did well to parry away a shot from Ashton Grant. Two minutes on from that Leverstock had a free kick in a dangerous position, but it was poorly taken and Crawley broke away. Sean Coughlan’s pace took him clear of the Leverstock defence but Jahn pulled off a great save with his legs. Seconds later at the other end, a pass from Davidson put Vicente through again, but his attempted lob over Yates wasn’t quite high enough and the keeper pulled it out of the air.

On 26 minutes Lacey and Donaldson combined to put Vicente through on goal yet again, but Yates turned his shot wide. In the 34th minute Crawley hit the post at one end, and seconds later at the other end Vicente was through again and took the ball round Yates, but hit his shot across goal and wide. On 36 minutes Vicente finally put the ball in the net as he headed home a cross, but was flagged for offside. A minute later a free kick from Donaldson was headed across goal by Karl Thomas, but Jake Williamson shot over the bar from six yards out. Still the chances came at both ends, with Jahn saving a shot from Charlie Clayton on 39 minutes, and Coughlan missing a sitter for the visitors from Grant’s free kick on 43 minutes. In the last minute of the half Davidson went on a solo run into the box but his shot was turned round the post by Yates.

The second half saw no let up in the number of chances, although the vast majority were for Leverstock this time. In the opening minute of the half a pass from David Serinolli put Vicente through again. This time he knocked the ball past Yates, but was then brought down by the keeper as he tried to run past. The referee awarded the penalty, and Leverstock finally put a goal on the board as Donaldson slotted home the penalty to level the scores at 1-1 in the 47th minute.

There should have been another goal a minute later as Davidson got on the end of a cross from Lacey, but shot over the bar. On 55 minutes a pass from Lacey gave Vicente another chance but his shot was blocked wide. Three minutes later a pass from Linsell gave Lacey a run at goal himself, but even Leverstock’s top scorer was denied by a save from Yates. Another chance went begging on 63 minutes as Williamson headed over from Lacey’s corner. Five minutes later Davidson got on the end of a corner from Donaldson, but his header was cleared off the line by Josh Murray.

Having missed so many chances, it was almost inevitable that Leverstock would pay the price, and in the 83rd minute Crawley Green scored a breakaway goal with Clayton being put through the middle to slot the ball past Jahn. Even then Leverstock had a chance to save the game in stoppage time as a pass from Lacey put Lewis Davis in to hit a shot-cum-cross which found Vicente at the far post, but his header went over the bar.

The result means that Leverstock finished two points below their opponents in 12th place, even though having a goal difference advantage of 22 over them. They still have the opportunity to get something out of what has been a good season overall when they host Tring Athletic in the semi-finals of the St Mary’s Cup on Tuesday night, kick-off 7.30 pm.