Match Report

Leverstock Green snatched a dramatic win with a goal deep into stoppage time that decided a five-goal thriller at North Greenford United. Ethan Flanagan’s header clinched a win that was well-deserved after an excellent second half performance in the Green’s first ever visit to the Berkeley Fields ground.

The home side had made an impressive addition to their squad this week with the signing of prolific striker Lewis Putman, and it was they who dominated the first half with their attacking threat. The Leverstock defence had done a good job of keeping them out for 20 minutes, but in the 21st minute a long throw into the box was not cleared, and Aaron McLeish received the ball on the edge of the six yard box before turning and slotting a neat finish under Rob Partington for the opening goal.

Within a minute NGU were threatening again, but Putman’s shot was saved by Partington. Two minutes later McLeish was running at goal again, but a great block by Luke Nugent kept his shot out. In the 27th minute Leverstock had a chance when the ball fell to Reynaldo Carbon, but his shot was blocked on the line by what looked like a hand, but the referee did not award anything.

NGU should have added a second goal two minutes later when a cross from Sean Hillier found Dominic Rhone with an absolutely free header in front of goal, but he put it over the bar. Rhone had another chance on 33 minutes when a pass from Putman put him through, but his shot went across goal and wide. Four minutes later Partington dived bravely at the feet of the onrushing McLeish to thwart another attack. Leverstock went close four minutes before the break when Alex Condon got on the end of a corner from Sam Nair, but his header hit the bar. There was still time for the home side to have a couple of attempts at the Green goal before the sides went in at half time with Leverstock rather fortunate to only be a goal down.

The second half saw an improvement from the Leverstock side, and they were level within two minutes of the restart. Alex Witham’s through ball to Mark Smith left the home defence looking for an offside flag that never came, and Smith went to finish very neatly, slotting the ball low to Siddall’s left for the equaliser.

However, they found themselves behind again in the 61st minute when a slip from Condon left McLeish through again to shoot past Partington and put his side 2-1 up. Three minutes later a long-range shot from Daryl Brown was only inches away from adding a third goal.

The game changed in the 67th minute with a triple substitution from Leverstock. On came Jonathan Lacey, back from the Falklands, Salim Sahoun, recently signed from Amersham Town, and Luke Preedy. The threat of Lacey down the left and Sahoun down the middle created a whole new set of problems for the home defence. However, as the game entered the final minutes it was still NGU that had the 2-1 lead.

It should have been 2-2 in the 85th minute when a cross from Brima Johnson found Sahoun at the far post with a free header, but somehow Sahoun managed to put his header across goal and wide. Two minutes from time a pass from Johnson gave Lacey a run at goal. Lacey beat two defnders as he headed into the box, and as his shot was blocked, the ball spun up into the air and Witham was following in to get his boot on it and divert the ball into the net for the equaliser.

The game then went into a long period of stoppage time. Five minutes in Leverstock went close to a winner when a shot from Jordon Goode flew just wide of the post. Shortly afterwards a pass put Sahoun through on goal. Sahoun was about to take the ball round Siddall, but the keeper slid in and brought him down just outside the box. Siddall was somewhat fortunate to get away with just a yellow card, as there was a defender who may have been able to cover, but Leverstock still exacted full revenge. Sahoun dinked the free kick over the wall and Ethan Flanagan came in to head home the winner in the eighth minute of stoppage time to the delight of the travelling Leverstock contingent.

This was a third straight league win for Leverstock in a run of four wins in all competitions, although they remain in tenth place with games in hand on the teams above them. On Tuesday night they have a tough game with a visit to fourth placed Arlesey Town.