Match Report

Leverstock Green broke their run of defeats as an injury time penalty earned them a well-deserved point in Saturday’s home game against Arlesey Town.

The visitors had the better of the early stages of the game, with a shot from Kai Ashley being turned round the post by Green keeper Nathan Pickworth in the 12th minute. Seven minutes later Arlesey broke away from a Leverstock corner, and a pass from James Hatch looked to have put Charlie Moss clean through against an outnumbered Green defence, but Kane O’Neil got across to put in a great saving tackle with Moss about to shoot.

Leverstock began to come more into the game, and in the 28th minute Alex Yearwood delivered a cross towards Danilson Vicente, but Arron Browne got there just ahead to stab the ball wide. In the 32nd minute Yearwood played a free kick into the box that wasn’t cleared, and the ball dropped for Alex Witham six yards out, but he shot over the bar. However, a minute later Yearwood sent over a cross from the left touchline which found Jordon Goode coming in at the far post to sidefoot the ball home and put Leverstock into a 1-0 lead.

Hanging onto a lead has not been the Green side’s forte recently, though, and so it proved again. Within two minutes a tackle from Jude Bell brought down Moss towards the left edge of the penalty area, and the referee immediately pointed to the spot. Alex O’Brien’s penalty sent Pickworth the wrong way to level the scores at 1-1.

Arlesey made the stronger start to the second half. Five minutes in a free kick from O’Brien found Aaron Gooch in front of goal, but he headed over the bar. Two minutes later a corner was flicked on by Gooch to Moss, whose header was saved by Pickworth. A minute later Arlesey went in front with an absolute bolt from the blue as Kai Ashley received the ball outside the right edge of the penalty area, before cutting back inside and curling a superb shot into the top corner of the net that left Pickworth standing.

Leverstock went very close to equalising on 69 minutes when a pass from Luke Preedy set up Witham for a shot that brought a great save out of visiting keeper Robbie Ponting, tipping the ball onto the bar and over. Five minutes later a corner from Yearwood was not cleared, and substitute Lewis Collins hit a shot just wide.

The Green side continued to press forward, but as the game ticked into stoppage time it looked like they were not going to get the goal they deserved for an excellent second half performance. However, in the third minute of stoppage time Brima Johnson crossed into the box, and as Preedy went up for a header he was pushed over from behind. The referee pointed to the spot again, and Alex Witham made no mistake with the penalty to level the scores at 2-2.

Leverstock might have even won the game in the 7th minute of stoppage time as another corner was not cleared, and Collins got hold of a good shot, but Ponting grabbed the ball on the line and held onto it with Witham following in for any rebound.

It was Phil Granville’s first point since taking over as first team manager, and Tuesday night he takes his side to one of his former clubs Uxbridge for a friendly. Next Saturday Leverstock are away at Edgware Town.