Match Report

The last two remaining Spartan South Midlands League clubs in the Emirates FA Cup met head-to-head at Pancake Lane on Saturday, and they will have to do it all over again on Wednesday night after their First Round Qualifying tie ended in a goalless stalemate.

Leverstock had some enforced changes to their side, with Mark Smith injured and Chris Blunden unavailable, and a further change was forced on them when Alex Condon dropped out through injury in the warmup. It was a hard-fought battle of few chances, which may not have been surprising given the solid defences on display here. Hadley had only conceded in two of their nine previous games, while Leverstock had only conceded the two late goals at Colney Heath in their previous five games.

There was a near-miss for Leverstock in the 6th minute when Jonathan Lacey won a challenge against defender Sam Lyon to get on the end of a goal kick from Arvydas Kacinkevicius, but shot just wide. Five minutes later, after a sweeping move involving Jordon Goode, Alex Witham and Reynaldo Carbon, Luke Preedy hit a long-range effort just wide. At the other end Yemi Buraimoh had the visitors’ only serious effort of the half in the 31st minute, with another shot that went inches wide. There was another good chance for Leverstock five minutes before the break when a ball from Brima Johnson dropped for Sam Nair inside the box, but Nair’s effort was blocked by the keeper.

The second half continued in a similar vein, with Hadley having more of the ball but seeming content to concentrate on defending and hoping to snatch a goal on the break, while Leverstock were struggling to recreate the flowing football of their recent performances. Buraimoh went close again on 52 minutes with a shot that went wide, and Hadley’s Ibrahim Camara shot over the bar from a good position on 65 minutes. Jeff Idemudia continued the pattern of Hadley failing to hit the target when he hit another good chance over the bar on 79 minutes.

Leverstock’s best moment of the half came in the 84th minute when Alex Yearwood hit a ball across the face of goal, but it was just too far ahead of Lacey and defender Alfie Bartram cleared the danger. A minute later Hadley broke away and Bartram set up the best chance of the game for substitute Peter Rosemin, but with the goal at his mercy and to the disbelief of the travelling supporters, Rosemin shot wide. In the final minute Hadley had their first shot on target, but it was tipped over the bar by Kacinkevicius.

As Hadley are currently unable to use their floodlights when there is a possibility of extra time, Wednesday night’s replay will take place at Potters Bar Town F.C., kick-off 7.45 pm. Meanwhile both sides will be taking a keen interest in Monday’s draw for the Second Round Qualifying.

The replay replaces the scheduled visit to Unite MK in the Challenge Trophy, for which a new date will have to be arranged.