Match Report

Leverstock Green suffered their second home defeat in four days as Leighton Town showed why they have stormed into the top 3 of the SSML Premier Division with a run of seven straight wins and into the last 16 of the FA Vase. Two top quality strikes early in the second half sealed the match although Leighton were generally in control for much of the game.

There was little in the way of chances early on in the game as the two sides cancelled each other out, but Leighton took the lead in the 27th minute. A ball from the halfway line into the Leverstock box dropped between two defenders, and Lea Coulter pounced on the hesitation to nip in and shoot past Matt Evans.

Leverstock started to come into the game towards the end of the half. In the 36th minute a pass from Matt Bateman put Ross Adams through, but his ball across goal from a narrow angle was cleared from the six-yard box. Seconds later Brima Johnson hit a shot from the edge of the box just wide. Three minutes later a chipped pass from Bateman put Adams through again, but Leighton keeper Tom Wyant came off his line and bravely dived at Adams’ feet. Wyant required treatment after the save, and in the second minute of stoppage time added on for that treatment, Leverstock found an equaliser. Chris Marsh floated in a free kick from near the halfway line which Bateman got on the end of to head his 18th goal of the season and send the game into the break with the scores level at 1-1.

The second half started in a similarly cagey fashion to the first half, but a bolt from the blue in the 54th minute put Leighton back in front. Alex O’Brien shrugged off a challenge before hitting a dipping shot from 25 yards that flew past Evans into the net. Three minutes later there was another great strike from James Hatch, who turned on the edge of the box before drilling home a low shot.

Leverstock made a double change on the hour, bringing on Nick Jackson and Casey Linsell, who were both returning after lengthy absences, but despite some promising build-up play they were unable to create any serious threat to the Leighton goal.

A third substitution was required in the 77th minute as Alex Marsh suffered a nasty-looking foot injury and had to be carried from the pitch with blood pouring out of his boot. Leverstock were reduced to ten men for the last ten minutes of the match, as Adams, who had already been booked in the first half, received a second yellow card for another foul. It was Leverstock’s first red card since the opening day of the season.

Leverstock are still hanging onto a place in the top six of the table despite two successive defeats to sides above them, but they will hope to get back on track on Saturday when they travel to Stotfold.