Match Report

Leverstock Green continued their perfect start to their competitive season with a second win and a second clean sheet. Fergus Moore’s side enjoyed a more comfortable than expected win over Essex Senior League side Halstead Town to progress into the Preliminary Round of the Emirates FA Cup, where they will be at home to fellow SSML Premier Division side St Panteleimon in two weeks time.

Leverstock went into the game with an unchanged starting lineup from Tuesday night’s win, and the opening 15 minutes of the game was somewhat cagey with neither side creating a chance. However, the Green side made the breakthrough in the 20th minute with an excellent goal, as skipper Ibraham Nagheeb ran to the bye-line and delivered a pin-point cross to the far post, where George Mitchell-Gears came in to head home his first competitive goal for the club.

The lead was almost doubled two minutes later as Ryan Carruthers hit a shot from distance that went over the bar. The visitors should have been level in the 28th minute when Calvin Poku seemingly had the goal at his mercy from close range, but shot over the bar when it looked easier to score.

It was Leverstock that were on top, though, with Nagheeb being denied by Halstead keeper Jack Cherry, who tipped his shot over the bar in the 30th minute. On 36 minutes a superb pass from Mitchell-Gears put Luke Beckwith in behind the defence but he shot wide. In first half stoppage time Mitchell-Gears just failed to get on the end of a cross from Alvin Kyeremeh.

Leverstock went in at half time with a narrow 1-0 lead, which did not reflect how much they had been on top, but they continued to impress in the second half. On 50 minutes Mitchell-Gears just failed to get on the end of another cross, this time from Ethan Mooney. Beckwith had a run at goal and shot wide on 53 minutes, and a minute later Carruthers hit a shot from the edge of the box that went inches over the bar.

There were further chances for Chris Blunden and Mooney on the hour which didn’t go in, as the home support began to wonder whether their side would pay for their missed chances. The visitors had a chance to equalise on 63 minutes as Poku got on the end of a cross, but his shot was deflected wide by a great block from Luke Durnin. Leverstock had their best chance yet to double their lead when Nagheeb was brought down by a trip inside the box, and the referee awarded a penalty. Blunden stepped up to take the kick, and made no mistake, sending the keeper the wrong way to finally put Leverstock 2-0 up.

Lewis Collins came close to adding a third goal in the 85th minute, hitting a shot across goal and wide after a mazy run into the box. With all three subs having been used, Leverstock had a problem over the closing minutes as Durnin picked up a groin injury. Rather than go down to ten men, Durnin was moved up front with Carruthers taking his place in the back four. Three minutes into stoppage time the Green side broke away from a Halstead attack, and Rio Beach ran the ball down to the bye-line before floating over a cross, which found none other than Durnin, who had made his way slowly from the halfway line to be in place to head home a third Leverstock goal from a yard out.

It was a well-deserved win for the Leverstock side, who played some excellent football throughout the afternoon and can now look forward to another home tie on Saturday 20th August.

Leverstock Green (1) 3 (Mitchell-Gears 20, Blunden 67 pen, Durnin 90+3)
1. Josh Mollison, 2. Brad Robinson, 3. Rio Beach, 18. Luke Durnin, 5. Alvin Kyeremeh, 6. Ryan Carruthers, 7. Ethan Mooney (14. Lewis Collins 61 mins), 8. Ibrahim Nagheeb, 9. Chris Blunden (12. James Collins 80 mins), 10. George Mitchell-Gears, 11. Luke Beckwith (15. Elgeniy Daalberg 68 mins). Subs not used: 16. Alfie Herd, 17. Sean Walsh, 19. Dan Weeks, GK Oscar Frost.
Halstead Town (0) 0
1. Jack Cherry, 2. Ryan Carter (17. Joe Vogler 85 mins), 3. Matt Travell, 4. Matt Coppen, 5. Jack Schelvis, 18. Joe Thomas (16. Mark Dallinger 74 mins), 7. Jordan Blackwell, 8. Jake Brown, 9. Calvin Poku, 10. Jordan Palmer, 11. Adam Hampson (12. Louis O’Sullivan 74 mins). Subs not used: 14. Nick Miller, 15. Joe Jones.