Match Report

Leverstock Green’s run in the FA Cup ended in disappointing fashion as they were beaten at home by Hellenic League side Burnham in Saturday’s Preliminary Round tie. A couple of injury time goals made the scoreline a little flattering for the visitors, but overall they looked the better side against a Leverstock side that didn’t create enough today.

Burnham had the first attempt on goal, with Manny Williams bringing a save out of Matt Fallon in the 13th minute, but two minutes later it was Leverstock who took the lead. Brima Johnson’s ball into the box found Ollie Cox, who finished well with a shot from a narrow angle which beat the keeper and went in off the far post.

However, the lead only lasted for three minutes, as Burnham equalised through Rashid Hamid, who was allowed too much space to turn and hit a shot from distance that flew past Fallon.

The remainder of the first half saw more fouls than scoring chances as the game became increasingly competitive and reached the break with the scores still level.

There continued to be little in the way of chances as the second half progressed, with the referee often being busy as the game threatened to boil over. Burnham had more of the ball going forward, but they had only produced one save from Fallon in the second half before taking the lead in the 72nd minute. Manny Williams got on the end of a cross from the right to head home from close range.

Leverstock forced a few corners as they pushed for an equaliser, but they were unable to force the Burnham keeper into any kind of save. They were still in the game as the match went into stoppage time, but Gavin James put the game beyond their reach as he ran unchallenged through the Green defence to shoot home the third goal in the second minute of stoppage time, and there was a virtual action replay three minutes later as James ran through again to score the fourth.

Leverstock Green (1) 1 (Cox 15)
Team: 1. Matt Fallon, 2. Brima Johnson, 3. Dan Weeks, 4. Jamie Ovington, 5. Mickey Shuttlewood, 6. Jack Stevens, 7. James Hall (15. Tom Carter 69 mins), 8. Ollie Cox (17. Elgeniy Daalberg 80 mins), 9. Sidney Gueye (16. Guiseppe Delgaudio 60 mins), 10. John Smith, 11. Adiel Mannion.
Subs not used: 12. Frank Jowle, 14. Kian Wilkes, 18. Gary Wallace, 19. Adi Connolly.

Burnham (1) 4 (Hamid 18, Williams 72, James 90+2, 90+5)
Team: 1. Carl Dennison, 2. Kian Duncan, 3. Melvy Nsomi (16. Wade Burton 53 mins), 4. Joey Gritt, 5. Ryan Tackley, 6. Dan Malloy, 7. Rashid Hamid, 8. Aaron De Rama (17. Joe Blount H/T), 9. Gavin James, 10. Luke Fanstone, 15. Manny Williams.
Subs not used: 12. James Selby, 14. Jack Petrovic, 18. Adam Bernard, 19. Kingsley Etifia, 20. Bradley Holland.