Match Report

Leverstock Green progressed into the second round of the SSML Challenge Trophy with a comfortable 3-0 win away to Division Two side Mursley United. Scott Dash made several changes to the side that had played in the FA Cup replay on Wednesday, bringing in Ellis Routledge and Louie Leong, both signed on loan from Wingate & Finchley under-23s, and experienced forward Nick Jackson, who last played for the Green in 2005.

The Green side got off to an ideal start with a goal in the 7th minute. Ross Adams threaded a pass to Jonathan Lacey, who outpaced the last defender and took the ball past keeper Sam Jay before slotting into the empty net.

Liam McCrohan got on the end of a free kick from Lacey in the 13th minute but headed over the bar. Leong’s game came to a premature end when he had to leave the field injured after a tackle in the 21st minute, to be replaced by Jackson. It didn’t take long for Jackson to add to his tally of 10 Leverstock goals from 12 years ago, as he ran onto a superb pass from Lacey and rounded the keeper to put Leverstock 2-0 up in the 34th minute.

Leverstock were still in control of the game in the second half. In the 54th minute a poor kick out from Jay went straight to Lacey, who headed for goal, but the keeper redeemed himself with a great save, and a follow-up effort from Jackson was deflected wide by a defender’s boot. Just before the hour mark a clumsy challenge from Mursley’s James Wardell brought down Jackson inside the box, and Lacey made no mistake from the resulting penalty to make it 3-0 to the Green.

It should have been four when Lacey set up a chance for substitute Craig King in the 69th minute, but King hit his shot wide. The remainder of the game saw Lacey go close to completing his hat-trick on several occasions. In the 74th minute he curled a shot just over the angle of post and bar, on 83 minutes he was denied by a great save from Jay with his leg, and in the last minute Lacey was unlucky again as his shot struck the bar.

Mursley were unlucky not to pull a goal back in the closing minutes as they struck the woodwork twice within seconds in a goalmouth scramble, but on the whole Leverstock’s young keeper Caolan Doyle-Creamer had a quiet game and secured his first clean sheet for the club. Leverstock’s reward for the win is an away tie to Berkhamsted or Hoddesdon Town in the second round.

Tuesday night sees a long-awaited return to league action for the Green as they travel to newly-promoted Biggleswade F.C., who are top of the league having played four games, while Leverstock have played just one so far.