Match Report

Leverstock Green rescued a well-earned point from a game that was heavily influenced by a strong wind, coming back from 2-0 and 3-2 down to draw 3-3 with Harefield United at Pancake Lane on Saturday. Despite the conditions, the two teams produced an entertaining game for the spectators, with a point apiece being a fair result in the end.

It was a bitterly cold afternoon, and the wind was blowing directly up the Pancake Lane slope while Leverstock were attacking down the slope in the first half. The wind made it difficult for Leverstock to clear the ball from their own half, and Harefield were certainly in the ascendency early on. Alfie Bonfield had to dive to save a shot from Courtney Austin as Harefield broke quickly from a Leverstock corner in the 9th minute, and Richard Pacquette lashed a shot just over the bar in the 13th minute.

Harefield took the lead in the 22nd minute, inevitably it was former Green striker Louis Bircham who scored it with a low strike from just outside the penalty area. Their lead was doubled seven minutes later from a corner as the wind pulled the ball in towards the goal and it defected in off a Leverstock defender.

The aim for Fergus Moore’s side was to get to half time without any further damage being inflicted, although there was another scare five minutes before the break when a kick from Bonfield came up short and Rawn Seale knocked the ball back towards his own goal into the path of Pacquette, but Bonfield pulled out a good save to keep out Pacquette’s shot.

Instead of being three goals down, Leverstock actually managed to pull a goal back in the last minute of the half. Ollie Cox broke away down the left before knocking the ball inside for Seale, who did the rest, running at the defence towards the bye-line before lashing home a shot from a narrow angle that put the Green side very much back in the game.

There was an enforced change at half time, with Elginey Daalberg coming on for Paplamin Jawara, who had been injured by a tackle late in the half and was unable to continue. Leverstock now had the wind in their favour and looked to complete their comeback. They almost levelled the scores in the 55th minute when Dan Weeks got on the end of a Cox corner but his header came back off the post. A minute later they did level the scores. A long-range effort from Ryan Carruthers was only parried by visiting keeper Reece Mallett, and Seale followed up to bury the rebound and notch his second goal of the game.

However, parity did not last for long. In the 59th minute Harefield hit the bar with a header, and a minute later were attacking again. There was a strong suspicion that Harry Bonner had been fouled in the build-up, but the referee played on and Steven Green hit a shot from the edge of the area to put Harefield back in front at 3-2.

Leverstock kept their heads up and continued to push for another equaliser. Lewis Collins had a chance in the 73rd minute when he turned into space on the edge of the box but hit his shot over the bar. However, in the 83rd minute Leverstock broke quickly from defence. Seale played the ball out wide to Daalberg, who outpaced the chasing defender and ran on to hit the ball across the face of goal where it deflected in off a defender to level the scores again at 3-3.

There was still further action, with Dan Pett hitting the bar with a shot in the 86th minute and Collins having a run and shot saved two minutes later. Harefield had a good chance to win the game in stoppage time but the ball went across the face of goal and wide just seconds before the final whistle was blown.

Video highlights

Leverstock Green (1) 3 (Seale 45, 56, Daalberg 83)
Team: 1. Alfie Bonfield, 2. Harry Bonner, 3. Rio Beach, 4. Dan Weeks, 5. Paul Marks, 6. Ryan Carruthers (16. Scott McGleish 65 mins), 7. Lewis Collins, 8. Dan Pett, 9. Rawn Seale, 10. Paplamin Jawara (14. Elgeniy Daalberg H/T), 11. Ollie Cox. Subs not used: 12. Jamie Calvin, 17. Adrian Pitfield, 18. Fergus Moore.
Harefield United (2) 3 (Bircham 22, OG 29, Green 60)
Team: 1. Reece Mallett, 2. Harry McCorkell (15. Louis Bunce 63 mins), 3. Steven Green, 4. Lewis White, 5. Anotida Mano, 6. Sean Mangan, 7. Femi Ogunsola, 8. Richard Pacquette (16. Donell Watt 85 mins), 9. Courtney Austin, 10. Louis Bircham, 11. Paul Underwood. Subs not used: 12. Luke Baldwin, 14. George Grange.