Match Report

Leverstock Green claimed another impressive three points on the road, this time against Arlesey Town, who had beaten league leaders Leighton Town only the week before. In relentlessly wet and windy conditions, Arlesey and Leverstock served up an entertaining game with lots of good football being played, including a contender for goal of the season.

Fergus Moore’s side had two young full backs starting, with Harry Bonner having been transferred from Bovingdon during the week, and Will Bisney being drafted in again. Gone from the squad is Isiah Noel-Williams, who was snapped up by Southern League side Chalfont St Peter.

Leverstock made a strong start to the game, with Lewis Collins making a run into the box in the opening minute, but his cross was cleared from in front on goal. In the 7th minute Dan Pett somehow kept hold of the ball whilst beating two defenders on a run through the middle, but having got clean through, his touch was too heavy and ran through to the keeper. In the 19th minute a great pass from Mikkel James put Collins through on goal, but keeper Ryan Hilliard came off his line to dive at Collins’ feet and claim the ball.

The Green side had nothing to show for their good start, and the home side then had a good spell. On 22 minutes Alfie Bonfield did well to turn away a shot from Lincoln Gilmartin, and a minute later a deflected free kick struck the crossbar. In the 24th minute Arlesey hit the woodwork again as Bruno Brito’s shot hit the post, but the rebound came straight back to Brito and at the second attempt he buried the ball past Bonfield to put Arlesey into a 1-0 lead.

It could have been two a couple of minutes later but Gilmartin shot straight at Bonfield from close range. Instead the scores were levelled in spectacular fashion in the 27th minute. Collins cut in from a run down the right wing, beating three defenders in a run across the edge of the box before hitting a shot past Hilliard from the edge of the D for a wonderful goal that turned out to be not even the best of this game.

Having pulled back level, Leverstock then pushed ahead. On 31 minutes Elgeniy Daalberg was set on a run down the left wing, and sent over a great cross which was met by the onrushing Kian Wilkes, who swept the ball home from six yards out for a 2-1 Green lead. Better was to come from Wilkes soon after.

In the 40th minute a clearamce from an Arlesey defender was picked up by Wilkes about 30 yards out, and without hesitation Wilkes looked up and hit an absolute screamer of a shot that flew into the top corner of the net off the underside of the bar giving Hilliard no chance whatsoever. Wilkes’ wonder strike stunned the whole ground and sent Leverstock into the break with a deserved 3-1 lead.

The second half opened in even heavier rain than the first, and for the first 25 minutes of the half there was little goalmouth action as Leverstock looked to be holding onto their lead comfortably. A pass from Dan Pett sent Collins off on another run in the 70th minute, but this time his shot was saved by Hilliard. Three minutes later Paplamin Jawara’s pass put substitute Rawn Seale through, but his shot was deflected wide of the post.

With 12 minutes remaining the game was put back into the melting pot as Arlesey pulled a goal back out of nothing. Efeptheros Metso got away down the left, and sent over a cross which was met by a close-range header from Archie Sayer that found the net. There was a big let off for Leverstock in the 85th minute when Jalen Miller was clean through and sent a lob over Bonfield, but it landed just over the bar. The end of the game was more nervy than it should have been given how well Leverstock played, but they held out for the three points, their second away win in a row, which moves them back up to third in the SSML Premier Division table.

Arlesey Town (1) 2 (Brito 24, Sayer 78)
Team: 1. Ryan Hilliard, 2. Sernad Hoxha, 3. Tom Millett (12. Jesus Mendoza H/T), 4. Ade Orenaike, 5. Shayan Ghamarinezhad, 6. Bruno Brito (15. Ryan Lamond 81 mins), 7. Jalen Miller, 8. Herson Alves, 9. Archie Sayer, 10. Lincoln Gilmartin (17. Efeptheros Metso 70 mins), 11. Herculano Carvalho. Subs not used: 14. Noah Costin, 16. Adam Randall.
Leverstock Green (3) 3 (Collins 27, Wilkes 31, 40)
Team: 1. Alfie Bonfield, 2. Harry Bonner, 3. Will Bisney, 4. Dan Weeks, 5. Paul Marks, 6. Kian Wilkes, 7. Lewis Collins, 8. Dan Pett, 9. Mikkel James (18. Rawn Seale 64 mins), 10. Paplamin Jawara (12. Ryan Carruthers 83 mins), 11. Elgeniy Daalberg (16. Ethan Mooney 74 mins). Subs not used: 14. Ollie Lawford, 17. Bradley Robinson.