Match Report

Leverstock Green suffered a heartbreaking stoppage time defeat after an excellent performance in Tuesday night’s SSML Premier Division game at Biggleswade United.

Adi Connolly was the Leverstock goalkeeper again this evening, and the 16 year old gave another outstanding performance. The home side also had a young keeper Cameron Groom giving an impressive display, including a penalty save.

Compared with the second half, the first half was relatively quiet. Biggleswade had the first chance on 13 minutes when Kai Ashley’s cross found Charlie Clayton, who couldn’t divert his effort on target. Connolly’s first save came in the 26th minute, gathering a long-range effort from Mahmut Caglar. On 34 minutes the home side cut through the Leverstock defence with a passing move, with Jaiden Irish and Enrique Amador combining to set up Clayton, but Connolly came off his line to charge down Clayton’s shot.

Leverstock didn’t threaten until the 41st minute when Louie Griffiths had a run across the box but couldn’t get a shot away, and a cross from Conor Blake was palmed away by Groom for their first corner of the game. In the last minute of the half it was Biggleswade who went close again as Carl Chambers chipped an effort onto the top of the crossbar.

Half time saw a change in the officiating team, as the referee had to leave the game with an injury. The senior linesman took over as referee, and Leverstock committee member Peter Hunt stepped in as a replacement linesman.

It had been the home side on top for most of the first half, but the second half started very differently. Leverstock pushed forward, and with less than a minute played they were awarded a penalty after Adiel Mannion was pushed over in the box. Skipper John Smith stepped up to take the kick, but Groom got down well to turn his effort round the post.

Groom denied Leverstock again in the 50th minute as Dan Weeks got on the end of a Frankie Jowle corner, but his header was palmed away by the young keeper. Connolly made another save in the 57th minute to keep the scores level, while three minutes later Smith got on the end of a Jowle free kick but headed wide.

The game was very much open and end-to-end by this stage, and in the 64th minute Steve Hawes hit the game’s best effort so far as he struck a long-range effort that rattled the crossbar. Five minutes later a low cross from Biggleswade sub Kieron Igbanoi caused chaos in the Green box, but somehow the home side failed to score in the ensuing scramble. In the 81st minute Biggleswade had a free kick in a dangerous position, but Caglar’s effort went just wide, and a minute later Connolly pulled off a save from point-blank range to deny Lorrell Smith.

Five minutes from time Kai Stonnell hit two shots over the bar in quick succession, and both Luke Peerless and John Smith had shots going just wide in the closing minutes. The game could have gone either way, but in the end it went the way of the home side as Lorrell Smith came in to head home a cross from close range ten seconds into stoppage time. Biggleswade could have added a second on the break deep into stoppage time as Leverstock pushed forward, but Connolly saved brilliantly again with his legs to deny David Parkinson.

Even with the defeat, it was another encouraging performance against a side in the top six, and the team never stopped battling all night.