Match Report

Edgware & Kingsbury win 4-2 on penalties.

Having come from two goals down and won a dramatic penalty shoot out in the FA Cup on Wednesday night, the boot was on the other foot for Leverstock Green this afternoon as they lost a two goal lead and went on to lose on penalties to exit the FA Vase at the first hurdle.

Fergus Moore, returning to the club which he managed for many years, had further injury problems today with Rio Beach dropping out, and suffered a couple more injuries during the game.

The early stages of the game saw Edgware on top, with a number of efforts on goal, but none of them on target. Their first shot on target was from a free kick in the 16th minute, but it was hit straight at Josh Mollison. Leverstock almost had a chance in the 21st minute when Dan Pett threaded a pass through to Chris Blunden, but a defender just got there first. Two minutes later Elgeniy Daalberg made a surging run from his own half before squaring to Pett, whose shot was saved. Daalberg’s game only lasted until the 31st minute, when he was forced off by an injury and replaced by Kai Stonnell.

The first half ended with the game goalless, but then there was a flurry of goals at the start of the second half. In the 48th minute Alvin Kyeremeh got on the end of a corner from Pett to head home and put Leverstock into a 1-0 lead with his third goal of the season. Barely sixty seconds later it was 2-0 as Sean Walsh delivered a cross from the right touchline which was turned home at the far post by Luke Beckwith. The keeper got a hand to Beckwith’s shot, but couldn’t stop it squeezing just inside the post.

Having got their 2 goal lead, though, the Green side switched off somewhat and Edgware fought back strongly. They almost pulled one back in the 52nd minute when a shot from close range hit the bar. Four minutes later they were back in game as Caoilan McGettigan hit a shot from distance which flew in off the post. And in the 58th minute it was back to all-square as McGettigan ran through the Green defence and hit a shot which went in off the far post.

After four goals in ten minutes, the game began to quieten down, with both teams starting to look tired after having played 120 minutes in midweek FA Cup replays. The best chance that Leverstock had to win the game was two minutes from the end when Scott McGleish, despite being on the ground, managed to knock a pass through to Blunden, but the keeper pulled off a great save from point-blank range to keep the scores level.

With no extra time in the Vase, the game went straight to penalties after 90 minutes. Niko Popov got Edgware off to a good start with the opening kick, but Blunden, having netted his kick on Wednesday, saw his opening kick saved. Edgware’s second kick by Matt Shaw was saved by Mollison, but Leverstock failed to take advantage as Ryan Carruthers, also successful on Wednesday, blasted his kick today over the bar. From then on all the kicks were scored, with Craige Tomkins putting Edgware 2-0 up, Luke Durnin pulling it back to 2-1, Adrian Okoro making it 3-1, McGleish pulling back to 3-2 before Toju James scored the kick that won the shootout for Edgware 4-2.

It is a first defeat of the season for Leverstock, who will have a well-earned rest during the week and will hopefully get some of their injured players back for next Saturday’s FA Cup glamour tie at Billericay Town.

Edgware & Kingsbury (0) 2 (McGettigan 56, 58)
13. Donnabhan Green, 2. Michael Dapaah (12. Toju James 78 mins), 3. Matt Shaw, 4. Alieu Kamara, 5. Yannick Bitsindou, 6. Dan Taylor, 7. Adrian Okoro, 8. Niko Popov, 10. Samir Sedaoui, 11. Caoilan McGettigan, 21. Craige Tomkins. Subs not used: 1. Paul Woods, 14. Solomon Ofori, 15. Kai Scarlett, 16. Janarn Bernard, 17. Daniel Javanmard, 18. Carlos Bain.
Leverstock Green (0) 2 (Kyemereh 48, Beckwith 49)
1. Josh Mollison, 2. Brad Robinson, 4. Dan Weeks, 18. Luke Durnin, 5. Alvin Kyeremeh, 6. Ryan Carruthers, 7. Elgeniy Daalberg (17. Kai Stonnell 31 mins), 8. Dan Pett, 9. Chris Blunden, 10. Sean Walsh (12. Robin Emanuels 90+2 mins), 11. Luke Beckwith (20. Scott McGleish 67 mins). Subs not used: 14. Kurainashe Musanhi, 15. Adam Page, 16. Raheem Khan, GK. Austin Byfield.