Match Report

Leverstock Green ensured they will have some cup football to look forward to in the New Year as they defeated Bovingdon 3-1 in Tuesday night’s St Mary’s Cup quarter-final at Pancake Lane.

Bovingdon, managed by former Leverstock player Lee Bircham, are top of the Herts Senior County League and have a number of players with experience at higher levels, and they were certainly competitive throughout this tie, which was not decided in Leverstock’s favour until six minutes from time.

Leverstock made the better start of the two sides and should have been ahead in the 8th minute when Reynaldo Carbon made a run before pulling the ball back across goal, but Ross Adams shot wide. However, in the 12th minute Curtis Donaldson received the ball on the left edge of the penalty area, and hit a great shot which beat Bovingdon keeper Tom Blackman to open the scoring.

Green keeper Caolan Doyle-Creamer had to make a save in the 21st minute to tip over a lob from former Leverstock striker Louis Austin, but their lead was doubled in the 28th minute. Reynaldo Carbon went on another pacy run down the right, and looked to have missed his chance to cross as he headed for the bye-line, but instead he lashed home a shot from the narrowest of angles for a 2-0 Leverstock lead.

Within two minutes the lead was halved as a cross from the right wasn’t dealt with by the Green defence and Cameron Brooks came in at the far post for a tap-in to pull the score back to 2-1. They could have levelled on 33 minutes but Stefan Bailey headed wide from a near-post corner. Two minutes later Doyle-Creamer had to save again, tipping a lob from Matt Standen over the bar. Late in the half Matt Bateman had a couple of chances for Leverstock, but hit one shot over the bar and another straight at Blackman.

Leverstock had another great chance in the 48th minute when a precision pass from Donaldson put Adams through, but his shot was straight at Blackman. For much of the second half Bovingdon dominated the midfield, but didn’t create too much in the way of chances. Courtney Massay had their two best chances, but Doyle-Creamer denied him both times.

Bovingdon’s chances were hit when they were reduced to ten men in the 81st minute. Martin Standen’s challenge which brought down Bateman just outside the box earned him a yellow card, and having already been booked in the opening minute of the game, Standen was shown the red card.

Three minutes later Leverstock ensured their passage into the semi-finals as Donaldson floated a free kick into the box and Bateman rose to head home the goal which made it 3-1.

It was a sixth straight win in all competitions for the Leverstock side, and next up for them is a home game against Edgware Town on Saturday.