Match Report

A late free kick from Alex Witham earned Leverstock Green a much-needed win after four straight defeats in all competitions. Stotfold went into the game as the league’s bottom side without a win yet, but were tough opponents on a day when the conditions also played a part. A sticky pitch and strong wind meant that it was by no means an attractive game, but Leverstock deserved the win for a dominant second half display.

After little goalmouth action in the early stages, the Green’s first promising moment came in the 19th minute when a pass from Jordon Goode put Alex Witham in with a shooting chance, but his shot deflected off a defender’s leg over the bar. From the resulting corner Marcus Campbell hit a shot over the bar. At the other end two minutes later Jermaine Francis had a good chance for Stotfold, but his shot went across goal and wide. On 31 minutes the home side went close again when Eben Mbola’s low shot was kept out by Green keeper Tristan Thomas.

Leverstock had a strong shout for a penalty in the 39th minute when Luke Nugent appeared to be clearly tripped by defender Luke Burkett, but the referee waved it away. In the ensuing kerfuffle, skipper Jude Bell was shown a yellow card for dissent, one of four yellows received by the Green side today.

In the second half Leverstock had the wind in their favour, and enjoyed much more possession and pressure than they had in the first half, making good use of long throws in the box. On 56 minutes Mark Smith went close with a volley from the edge of the box, and on 64 minutes Smith had another chance when a long throw was cleared to him on the edge of the box, but this time his volley was superbly tipped over the bar by home keeper Matt Fallon. On 73 minutes another long throw caused chaos in the Stotfold box and a shot from Witham was somehow cleared off the line, one of several last-ditch blocks from the Stotfold defence.

On 81 minutes Fallon produced another brilliant save to turn away a shot from Witham. However, three minutes from time Leverstock were awarded a free kick 20 yards out for a handball. Witham stepped up to take the kick, and curled it over the wall and out of Fallon’s reach for a long-overdue Green lead.

From then on it was a case of hanging on for the win, although Leverstock went close to a second in stoppage time when a shot from Smith was parried away by Fallon. It was also a first clean sheet for two months, and a much better display from keeper Thomas than in his debut last week.

On Tuesday night Leverstock begin their defence of the St Mary’s Cup with a first round home tie against Bushey Sports, before next Saturday’s home match against Potton United.