Match Report

A last-gasp header from Dan Weeks rescued a deserved point for Leverstock Green as they drew 1-1 with Wembley on a wet Saturday afternoon at Pancake Lane.

It was a much-improved performance from the previous week’s game against Oxhey Jets, with the Leverstock side making a promising start to the game. In the 4th minute Kai Stonnell pulled the ball back to set up a chance for Cass Grant, but his shot was blocked by a defender. On 13 minutes Ollie Cox swung over a free kick which Weeks got on the end of, but headed wide. Having had most of the play up to that point, Leverstock then found themselves a goal down a minute later. Jonathan Iley headed home a free kick from inside the six-yard box to put Wembley into a 1-0 lead.

Another Cox free kick in the 21st minute resulted in an almighty goalmouth scramble, but nobody could put the ball away. Cox had a shot from distance in the 27th minute which went wide, and on 32 minutes John Smith tried his luck from a free kick. The shot took a deflection off the wall but keeper Raheem Belgrave was able to gather it.

Leverstock’s best chance of an equaliser came in the 41st minute when the referee spotted an infringement as another Cox free kick was floated into the box. A penalty was awarded, and the usually reliable Smith stepped up to take it, but his spot-kick was turned away by Belgrave. Having had a let-off, Wembley had a great chance to double their lead a minute later, but Leandro Riberio-Mateus shot wide from six yards with the goal at his mercy.

The game continued to hinge around free kicks early in the second half. On 50 minutes Matt Fallon produced a good save to turn away Yassine Fehmi-Gil’s effort from just outside the box. Three minutes later Jamie Ovington got on the end of another Cox free kick, but his header was gathered by Belgrave. Wembley had another great chance to add a second goal on 65 minutes when a succession of passes across the penalty area ended with Stephen Ebonine again having the goal his mercy, but pulling his shot wide.

Wembley were still holding onto their lead as the game went into the final minutes. In the 89th minute a shot from Weeks was saved by Belgrave, and a minute later a cross from Weeks found Louie Griffiths at the far post but he couldn’t get his header on target. In the fourth minute of stoppage time Leverstock were awarded a free kick on the edge of the centre circle. Everyone except Fallon went up into the box as Cox floated the ball in, but it was Weeks who got his head on it and diverted the ball into the corner of the net for a superb equaliser.

There was barely time to restart the game before the referee blew the final whistle, as the Green team rescued a point that they had certainly deserved from the game as a whole.