Match Report

After starting 2022 with two defeats, Leverstock Green got back to winning ways with a very impressive performance against the side immediately below them in the SSML Premier Division table. Fergus Moore’s side dominated the game with some tidy attacking football and had the chances to have made this a much more comfortable win.

Leverstock started the game strongly, with Ollie Cox having their first effort on goal in the 4th minute, going just wide of the post. Cox had another couple of efforts off target in the early stages, before the Green side took a deserved lead in the 23rd minute. Rawn Seale battled his way to the bye-line and pulled the ball back for Elgeniy Daalberg, who controlled it before placing an angled shot into the corner of the net.

The home side produced little in the first half, with only a deflected shot from Mulik Rickman in the 31st minute causing Alfie Bonfield any concerns. Leverstock then had a series of chances to pad their lead before the break. On 34 minutes Dan Pett had a chance to shoot, but laid off to Rio Beach, whose shot was blocked on the line, as was a rebound effort from Daalberg. Two minutes later Cox pounced on some hesitant defending to win the ball and put over a great cross for Seale to run onto, but Seale’s shot went just over the bar. In the 41st minute Seale ran onto a pass from man-of-the-match Kian Wilkes and slipped the ball over the keeper, but there wasn’t quite enough strength on it and a defender got back to clear off the line.

Leverstock took just a one-goal lead into the break, and in the early stages it was Harpenden who started to put more pressure on. However, they made little headway against a determined Green defence, and Bonfield only had to make a save in the 55th minute to turn a shot wide at the near post. Leverstock continued to look dangerous going forward, with Beach being denied in the 61st minute when his shot was turned round the post by keeper Alex Desmond.

There was another chance for a second goal in the 73rd minute as Seale made a great solo run into the box, but his eventual shot was hit straight at Desmond. However, a minute later Daalberg played in a ball from the left which found Seale on the edge of the box. Seale controlled the ball with a great first touch, sidestepped a defender, then sidefooted a shot into the corner of the net to finally give his side a two-goal lead.

Harpenden had another period of pressure following the second goal, with an effort which went only inches wide of the goal, and a good save from Bonfield to prevent an own goal from skipper Dan Weeks. Harpenden pressed strongly again over the closing minutes, winning a series of corners, but the Green side were in no mood to give up their clean sheet, and held out for a very much deserved win.

Harpenden Town (0) 0
Team: 1. Alex Desmond, 2. Toby Syme (12. Josh Rodrigues 73 mins), 3. Dan Westmore, 4. Jamie Riley, 5. Daniel Palmer, 6. Sam Doolan, 7. Ivan Machado (14. Jake Collins H/T), 8. Mulik Rickman, 9. Jake Anthony, 10. Joe Devaney (15. Ryan Plowright 68 mins), 11. Josh Setchell. Sub not used: GK. Connor Sansom.
Leverstock Green (1) 2 (Daalberg 23, Seale 74)
Team: 1. Alfie Bonfield, 2. Brad Robinson, 3. Rio Beach, 4. Dan Weeks, 5. Paul Marks (12. Jack Allen 68 mins), 6. Kian Wilkes, 7. Elgeniy Daalberg, 8. Dan Pett, 9. Rawn Seale, 10. Paplamin Jawara, 11. Ollie Cox (16. Scott McGleish 65 mins). Subs not used: 14. Ollie Lawford, 17. Kyle Williams, 18. Fergus Moore.