Match Report

Leverstock Green were in devastating form as they netted double figures against SSML Division Two side Unite MK in Saturday’s Buildbase FA Vase First Round Qualifying tie at Pancake Lane. Unite MK were playing their first ever FA Vase tie, but they were unfortunate to come up against a Leverstock side that picked up from where they had left off in the FA Cup at Harpenden last Saturday. A week after recording their biggest ever win in the FA Cup, they repeated the feat in the Vase.

The game was just over two minutes old when Reynaldo Carbon picked up a pass from Jonathan Lacey and continued his run past a couple of defenders into the box before slotting past visiting keeper Aaron Halai to open the scoring.

However, the early stages of the game saw Unite have plenty of the ball, and they were unlucky not to equalise in the 5th minute when a shot from Cole Rawson hit the post. Alex Witham hit a shot just wide in the 9th minute for Leverstock, and two minutes later Lacey was clean through but was denied by a great save from Halai, and his second effort was also blocked. On 16 minutes a cross from Casey Linsell found the head of Shane Wood, but Halai saved again. A minute later Unite came close again when Rawson got to the bye-line and pulled the ball back for Luke Little, but his shot from close range was saved by Arvydas Kacinkevicius, who two minutes later turned another shot from Little round the post. Seconds later the ball was at the other end and Halai palmed away a header from Luke Nugent.

In the 28th minute a great cross from Nugent went over Lacey but landed at the feet of Linsell, who looked set to score but Halai pulled off another great save with his legs. At this stage it looked like it might be a frustrating afternoon for the Green, but a gift of a goal presented by the visitors four minutes later turned the game firmly in Leverstock’s favour. Halai rolled the ball out to defender Saajan Sohajpal, who tried to beat Lacey on the edge of his own box, but Lacey won the ball and slotted past Halai for the long-awaited second goal.

Two minutes later a shot from Alex Witham was kept out by Halai. A minute later Jonny Miller played Witham in, and again his shot was saved, but the rebound was picked up by Carbon, who laid it back for Lacey to blast home the third goal for Leverstock. The floodgates were open now, and on 41 minutes Witham played a sideways pass to set up Lacey to shoot home and complete a nine-minute hat-trick. There was still time for Lacey to play a pass over the top to put Carbon through to curl a neat shot past Halai for his second goal in the 43rd minute, sending Leverstock into half-time with a 5-0 lead.

The second half was just a matter of how many more goals the Green would score. On 48 minutes a shot from Mark Smith was deflected into the air. As the ball came down Lacey won a challenge against Halai and quickly turned, but shot wide of the empty net. A minute later Lacey had the ball in the net but it was disallowed for offside. However, the sixth goal arrived in the 51st minute as Lacey played a low ball into the box from the right for Witham to finish from close range and score his first of the game.

Before the game restarted Leverstock made their first substitution, bringing on new signing Alex Yearwood to replace Linsell. Yearwood, signed from Broadfields United, took just four minutes to make an impression, going on a dazzling run down the left before squaring for Lacey to shoot home his fourth of the game for a 7-0 Leverstock lead.

Carbon had the chance to complete his hat-trick a minute later as he ran onto a pass from Lacey, but shot wide. On 61 minutes a free kick from Witham found the head of Alex Condon, but Halai pulled off another good save. A minute later Yearwood showed more impressive footwork as he took on and beat a defender on the left edge of the penalty area, before pulling the ball back for Witham to shoot home his second and Leverstock’s eighth goal. The two combined again two minutes later but this time Witham shot over the bar.

With 20 minutes remaining Lacey and Brima Johnson were withdrawn and replaced by Jude Bell and Sam Nair, while the visitors made a triple substitution. A minute later they had their best chance of the game when Rawson was clean through but shot wide. There were still further goals to come for Leverstock. In the 81st minute a great pass from Witham set up Yearwood to shoot home a very well-deserved goal on his debut, and in the 87th minute Sam Nair exchanged passes with Carbon before firing home possibly the goal of the game from just outside the box to send the scoreline into double figures.

A very impressive performance from the Green side, who kept their focus throughout and importantly maintained a clean sheet. In the next round they will be at home to United Counties League Division One side Raunds Town on Saturday 15th September. That is one of at least four cup ties to be played in the next three weeks, but this coming Tuesday night Leverstock turn their attention back to the league with a home match against Cockfosters, kick-off 7.45 pm.

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