Match Report

Leverstock Green will finish their season with a cup final after they overcame Oxhey Jets 2-0 in Tuesday night’s St Mary’s Cup semi-final at the Boundary Stadium. They will meet either Berkhamsted or Tring Athletic in the final, which is to be played at Vauxhall Road on Thursday 10th May.

There was controversy at the start of the semi-final, as the referee would not allow Reece Cameron to play while wearing an earring, even though it was taped up. Ross Adams started the game in Cameron’s place, while the operation to remove the earring took place on the bench.

The home side had a couple of early chances as Chris Blunden had a shot turned round the post by Matt Evans in the 4th minute, while two minutes later Jahobi Maher was unlucky as he hit a great shot which smacked the crossbar. Evans was brought into action again in the 32nd minute, saving from Andy Amoha, who was clean through. A minute later at the other end Leverstock had their first chance. A corner from Chris Marsh was flicked across his own goal by Scott Pugsley. Shane Wood came in at the far post but headed over the bar.

Five minutes before the break Oxhey were awarded a free kick in a dangerous position on the goalline near the penalty area, but the kick was taken poorly and allowed Leverstock to break quickly, only being stopped by a dreadful tackle by Tom Gibson on Brima Johnson in the centre circle. Gibson was only booked while Johnson required treatment, however Leverstock exacted revenge from the resulting free kick. Casey Linsell floated the ball into the penalty area where Wood headed home to put the Green into a 1-0 lead.

Oxhey almost hit back immediately. Blunden was put through on Evans, and slotted his shot past the Green keeper. Scott Bonner stuck out a boot to stop it, but missed, however the ball agonisingly hit the post and rebounded away from goal where the grateful Bonner was able to hack it clear.

Two substitutions had to be made before half time, with Ben Darby being replaced by Cameron, now without the earring, and Wood, who sustained a dead leg from a collision with the keeper while scoring the goal, giving way to Luke Preedy.

Leverstock doubled their lead inside two minutes of the second half. Cameron went up for a ball in the penalty area, but couldn’t get off the ground due to his shirt being pulled. The referee spotted the incident and awarded the penalty, and Cameron netted the spot kick himself to put the Green 2-0 up.

Scott Burge twice went close to adding a further goal, having a solo run at goal in the 52nd minute before shooting just wide, and a minute later heading just wide from an Adams cross. Cameron should have killed the game off on 65 minutes when a touch from Burge put him clean through on goal. Cameron did everything right as he took the ball round the keeper, but a defender ran across his path just as he was about to slot home, and the ball drifted just wide. Ten minutes later Burge ran onto a great pass from Jay Caines, but shot into the side netting.

In the 81st minute Oxhey were reduced to ten men when Gibson, who had been lucky not to get a second yellow for a tackle on Cameron, finally got his second yellow card for dissent. Leverstock were able to see the game out without any drama and clinch their place in the final. Man of the match went to Brima Johnson, one of a number of excellent performances on the night.

Before the final, Leverstock have four league games to complete, the first of which is this coming Saturday at home to St Margaretsbury.