Match Report

Leverstock Green’s last two games of the season turned out to be against two of the three sides battling to avoid relegation, and in the first of those games they were denied a win by a late Holmer Green equaliser which earned them a point that could prove to be crucial in keeping them up.

Fergus Moore made a few changes for the visit to Watchet Lane on Tuesday night, bringing in 20 year old defender Temi Bankole for his debut, and giving a first start of the season to Jamie Calvin. Leverstock got off to a fine start in the match, taking the lead in the 10th minute when an inswinging corner from Dan Pett was met with a glancing header from Rawn Seale into the net.

There could have been a second goal in the 25th minute when Seale won the ball off a defender and ran at goal, but his shot was blocked, as was a follow-up effort from Calvin. Holmer’s most dangerous player looked to be forward Alex Dimitrijevic, who had threatened a couple of times before bringing a great save out of Alfie Bonfield with a shot in the 30th minute. There was another chance for Leverstock on 38 minutes when a Dan Weeks free kick was flicked on by Calvin to Jack Allen, who tried to lob the keeper, but it didn’t come off. A minute later at the other end Dimitrijevic was denied again by a goalline clearance.

Leverstock took their 1-0 lead into the break, but didn’t make the best of starts to the second half. In the 48th minute a Holmer free kick was floated to the far post, where Oskar Evans came in with an unchallenged header to level the scores at 1-1.

However, the scores were only level for two minutes. Seale and Sean Walsh exchanged passes on the edge of the Holmer box before Seale played a square ball across the box which was missed by a defender and landed at the feet of Calvin, who suddenly found himself in space with only the keeper to beat, and he did just that with a low shot into the corner of the net to put Leverstock back in front at 2-1.

There could have been further Leverstock goals. Bankole shot just over the bar from a Pett free kick on 53 minutes. On 61 minutes an overhead pass from Ethan Mooney put Seale through on goal, but he pulled his shot wide. On 68 minutes Seale tried unsuccessfully to chip the keeper after some neat footwork in the box.

Calvin was substituted in the 78th minute after a fantastic performance in which he won every ball in the air and proved a real handful up front. A minute later Leverstock gave the ball away in the opposition half and were hit on the break as Dimitrijevic sent a lob over Bonfield from distance to level the scores at 2-2.

That was how the game finished, and by the end Holmer were playing to hang onto the point, knowing that it would send London Colney to the bottom of the table with one round of matches to play, and it is London Colney that Leverstock face at home in their final game on Saturday. A win for Leverstock will send Colney down, but any other result could put Holmer Green or Crawley Green back in danger.

Holmer Green (0) 2  (Evans 48, Dimitrijevic 79)
Team: 1. Luke Roberts, 2. James Jarrott, 3. Oskar Evans, 4. Austen Edwards, 5. Ryan Parsons (12. Martin Lancaster H/T), 6. Raz Ajibola, 7. Ben Hodges, 8. Alex Rice, 9. Jethro Odomusu, 10. Alex Dimitrijevic, 11. Kudzai Chunga (14. Adam Riley 76 mins). Subs not used: 13. Sam Butcher, 15. Ollie White, 16. Rob Folkor.
Leverstock Green (1) 2 (Seale 10, Calvin 50)
Team: 1. Alfie Bonfield, 2. Brad Robinson, 3. Rio Beach, 4. Dan Weeks, 5. Temi Bankole, 6. Jack Allen (17. Kian Wilkes 84 mins), 7. Ethan Mooney (15. Lewis Nicholls 67 mins), 8. Dan Pett, 9. Rawn Seale, 10. Jamie Calvin (16. Scott McGleish 78 mins), 11. Sean Walsh. Subs not used: 12. Ryan Carruthers, 14. Paul Marks.