Match Report

Leverstock Green’s season did not get off to the best of starts as they were beaten 3-0 at Arlesey Town in their opening SSML Premier Division game. The Green side had plenty of possession in the game, but didn’t make the most of it, and Arlesey took their chances well.

It is an almost entirely new Leverstock side from that which ended last season, and with both senior goalkeepers unavailable, there was a first team debut for 16 year old Adi Connolly, who acquitted himself well in the game.

After a quiet opening ten minutes to the game, Arlesey took the lead from the first real chance. A free kick was floated into the box by Josh Brown, and James Hatch got up unchallenged to head across goal, where the ball was turned in by Charlie Moss.

Ollie Cox had Leverstock’s first decent attempt on goal in the 16th minute, a shot from outside the box which was gathered by home keeper Robbie Ponting. There was almost an equaliser in the 32nd minute when Luis Brooker got on the end of Frankie Jowle’s corner, but his header went inches over the bar. Leverstock were having more of the ball at this stage, but were giving it away too often and were unable to create the chances some of their play deserved. Their task was made even harder when Arlesey added a second goal four minutes from half time, from what was only their second chance. They were awarded a free kick just outside the box, and Aaron Browne took the kick perfectly, curling it round the wall and into the corner of the net giving Connolly no chance.

Leverstock needed to get a goal back quickly, and they almost managed it two minutes into the second half when Cox hit a dangerous free kick across the face of the six-yard box, but nobody could get on the end of it. Arlesey increased their control of the game by adding a third goal in the 56th minute. Charlie Moss ran at the Green defence, took the ball round Dan Weeks and hit a shot under Connolly’s body for an impressive finish.

The Leverstock bench responded with a triple substitution, bringing on Kai Stonnell, Ollie Lawford and Luke Peerless, but were unable to turn the game around. Arlesey went close to a fourth in the 72nd minute when a shot from Hatch struck the post, and Leverstock almost netted a consolation six minutes later, but Lawford headed just over.

The game ended on a sour note for the home side when they were reduced to ten men with five minutes remaining, Lilian Pascasu receiving a straight red card for retaliation on Peerless. However, they deserved their win in a game that showed there is still much work to be done on the Leverstock side.