Match Report

Leverstock Green’s home form continues to let them down as they followed up last week’s spectacular comeback at Tring with a disappointing defeat to Holmer Green. After taking a deserved lead early in the second half Fergus Moore’s side were unable to build on it and were hit by two late goals from a Holmer Green side that worked very hard throughout.

With goalkeeper Alfie Bonfield absent through Covid, under-18s keeper Oscar Frost made his first team debut. In the 2nd minute of the game a long kick from Frost gave Lewis Collins a run at goal, but he couldn’t get a shot away, laying off to Kian Wilkes, whose shot was blocked. Seconds later Ryan Carruthers spotted the keeper off his line and tried a chip from 20 yards, but it bounced off the top of the crossbar. Carruthers had another long-range effort in the 9th minute but it was turned round the post by the keeper.

Leverstock were having more of the ball, but often losing it while attempting while attempting to go past defenders on the edge of the box. In the 29th minute Brad Robinson nodded the ball through to put Rawn Seale through on goal, but again keeper Mattao Giacobbe was in the way, saving Seale’s shot. On 35 minutes Kian Wilkes was denied by a goalline clearance from defender Reece McKenzie. Two minutes later Ollie Lawford was brought down just outside the box and took the free kick himself, but again Giacobbe got down low to his left to turn the ball round the post.

Having had all the chances in the first half, Leverstock almost went in at half time behind, but Frost pulled off a great save in the last minute of the half to tip over a shot from Kudzai Chunga.

Lewis Collins was struggling with an injury, and only lasted a minute of the second half before being replaced by Ethan Mooney. Leverstock again started the half brightly, and finally got their deserved goal in the 49th minute. A through ball from the back was flicked on by Lawford into the path of Seale, who ran clear of the chasing defenders and shot past Giacobbe to open the scoring.

The Leverstock side continued to push forward, but were still finding it difficult to create clear-cut chances to press home their advantage. Holmer were starting to threaten on the break, and Frost had to save a close-range header in the 57th minute. On another break in the 74th minute, Holmer won a corner out of nothing. They took full advantage of it as Jamie Mitchell got away from his marker to head home at the near post for the equaliser.

Holmer could have gone in front in the 79th minute but Frost pulled off another good save to keep out a shot from Oskar Evans. In the closing minutes of the game it could have gone either way. Scott McGleish flashed a shot just over the bar in the 87th minute, and Lawford had another good chance but couldn’t get a shot away. In the 90th minute it was Holmer that broke away and scored as Jose Daio slotted the ball past Frost.

Even in stoppage time Leverstock had a chance to rescue a point as Lawford got on the end of Mooney’s cross, but his header was saved again by Giacobbe. That proved enough for Holmer to take three crucial points in their battle against relegation and leave Leverstock five points adrift of the top four.

Leverstock Green (0) 1 (Seale 49)
Team: 1. Oscar Frost, 2. Brad Robinson, 3. Rio Beach, 4. Dan Weeks, 5. Paul Marks, 6. Kian Wilkes, 7. Lewis Collins (14. Ethan Mooney 47 mins), 8. Ryan Carruthers (16. Scott McGleish 75 mins), 9. Ollie Lawford, 10. Ollie Cox (12. James Hall 69 mins), 11. Rawn Seale. Subs not used: 17. Dan Pett, 18. Kyle Williams.
Holmer Green (0) 2 (Mitchell 74, Daio 90)
Team: 1. Mattao Giacobbe, 2. James Jarrott (14. Kai Morgan 69 mins), 3. Bailey Page, 4. Luke Ryll, 5. Reece McKenzie, 6. Luke Williams, 7. Jose Daio, 8. Oskar Evans, 9. James Bent (12. Jamie Mitchell 57 mins), 10. Denis Pepelyarski, 11. Kudzai Chunga. Subs not used: 13. Daniel Clements, 15. Matt Wooster.