Match Report

It was a bad day at the office for Leverstock Green, who were outplayed by a Baldock Town side that has been climbing the table steadily over the last couple of months after a poor start to the season.

Baldock’s opening goal came in the 11th minute, and it had an element of fortune about it. Goalscorer Charlie Thake was hit in the face by a cross-cum-shot on the edge of the six-yard box, and despite knowing little about it, the ball deflected out of Matt Fallon’s reach and in off the post.

The visitors continued to be the better side, with Matt Fallon having to save from Charlie Joy in the 22nd minute, and they had a number of other chances to increase their lead before half time. At the other end, a free kick from Ollie Cox was parried away by keeper Adam Harpur on 35 minutes, but no-one could get on the rebound. Three minutes later Frankie Jowle was put through and took the ball past Harpur, but with the angle narrowing, Jowle tried to square to Adiel Mannion, but it was cleared by a defender.

In the opening minute of the second half Dan Weeks got on the end of a corner from Cox, but his header went wide. In the 49th minute Baldock doubled their lead, as Thake successfully sprung the offside trap and ran through to drive a shot past Fallon from the edge of the box. Things got even better for the visitors in the 57th minute as Thake took advantage of more hesitant defending to drill home a shot and complete his hat-trick.

Leverstock improved after a double substitution on the hour, and came close to pulling a goal back on 63 minutes when a decent strike from Jack Stevens brought a great save out of Harpur to tip it over the bar. A Leverstock player finally found the net in the 70th minute, but unfortunately it was Dan Weeks turning a Baldock cross into his own net to put the visitors 4-0 up.

However, the best strike of the day was yet to come, as Adiel Mannion netted a consolation goal in the 72nd minute, his fierce shot from the edge of the box coming down off the underside of the bar and clearly crossing the line before bouncing out.