Match Report

Leverstock Green are safely in Monday’s draw for the Second Round of the Buildbase FA Vase after a comfortable 3-0 win against Essex Senior League side Sawbridgeworth Town in Saturday’s First Round tie at Pancake Lane. It was largely a one-sided affair with the Green side dominating from start to finish, and they could have had more goals than the three that were scored.

The win was despite a spate of injuries which is testing the depth of the Leverstock squad. The problems are mostly occurring in the central defensive area, where Jonny Miller and Shane Wood were joined on the injury list by Jude Bell, recovering from a concussion, and Alex Condon, who started this game having recovered from Tuesday’s injury, but had to be replaced at half time due to a groin injury. Alex Witham was also missing today due to a hamstring problem.

Leverstock had the slope and the wind in their favour in the first half, and after a largely uneventful opening 15 minutes, started to create some chances. On 17 minutes a great crossfield ball from Casey Linsell to Luke Nugent started a move which finished with a shot from Jonathan Lacey being deflected over the bar. From the resulting corner Condon headed just wide. A minute later Luke Preedy had a shot which was gathered by visiting keeper Jarvis Monk.

The best chance so far came in the 20th minute when Chris Blunden rode a challenge and got to the bye-line where he pulled the ball back for Lacey, whose first time effort went over the bar. Two minutes later Linsell floated in a free kick which was caught by the wind and had to be tipped over the bar by Monk.

Finally in the 29th minute the deadlock was broken. There was more good play from Preedy, who exchanged passes with Blunden before slotting home an impressive finish to give Leverstock an overdue 1-0 lead. Four minutes later the lead was doubled. A cross from Nugent drifted to the far side of the penalty area, where Preedy squared it back in for Blunden, who blasted home a shot from six yards out despite the close attention of a defender.

There were a couple more near-misses in first half stoppage time. A good ball down the touchline from skipper Brima Johnson found Blunden, who cut inside and headed for goal, but his eventual shot was kept out by the legs of Monk. Jordon Goode was just wide with a shot from the edge of the box.

Half time saw Condon replaced by under-18 player Charlie Milton, making his debut for the first team. Sawbridgeworth had the wind and slope in their favour now, but apart from a brief spell at the start of the second half, they produced little to trouble Arvydas Kacinkevicius and his defence. Ten minutes into the half Leverstock increased their lead as a superb cross from Linsell was met with a header from Goode for goal number three.

Blunden was unlucky not to get his second five minutes later. After good work from Nugent, Goode delivered a cross from the bye-line which Blunden met with a thumping first time volley, but Monk did well to save it. Lacey could have added his name to the scoresheet on 73 minutes when a defensive error left him clean through on Monk, but he delayed his shot too long and was forced wide.

Overall a solid performance from the Leverstock side, who have reached the second round of the Vase without conceding a goal in their three ties so far. In fact they have not conceded a goal in any of their nine competitive wins so far this season. There is more cup action on Tuesday night when Oxhey Jets are the visitors to Pancake Lane for a first round tie in the Herts Senior Cup.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
•