Match Report

Back in the early days of August, Leverstock Green opened their league programme with three straight wins and clean sheets. A month on from their third game they finally got to play their fourth league game, and although they were unable to maintain their 100% record and clean sheet record, a late equaliser from Chris Blunden ensured that they remained unbeaten.

Wish Josh Mollison having transferred to Stotfold and Austin Byfield unwell, Oscar Frost was brought back into goal, and the 18 year old acquitted himself well with several good saves. Club captain Dan Weeks was still suffering from the injury picked up at Bishop’s Stortford last week, so former London Colney captain Bobby Armstrong was brought in for his debut, and gave a man-of-the-match performance. On a night of constant drizzle, a slippery surface caused problems for both sides, and the draw was a fair result in the end, especially as Ardley were reduced to ten men for the last half-hour.

Both teams paid their respects to Queen Elizabeth II with a minute’s silence being observed before the game.

Leverstock had the game’s first real chance in the 11th minute as a great pass from Blunden put Luke Beckwith through on goal, but his shot was beaten away by visiting keeper Ben Hoy. At the other end two minutes later Frost pulled off a good save to turn away a header. Frost was in action again in the 15th minute, turning another header from a free kick around the post.

Ardley had a good chance in the 28th minute but the shot went across goal and wide, and an even better chance two minutes later with a forward seeming to have the goal at his mercy from close range, but choosing to head sideways to a team mate who shot into the side netting. Leverstock were denied in the 40th minute as Hoy did well to tip a fierce shot from Ibrahim Nagheeb over the bar. In the last minute of the half Alvin Kyeremeh got on the end of a free kick from Dan Pett but headed over the bar.

Four minutes into the second half Leverstock had another promising attack as Ethan Mooney got away down the right and put the ball into the box, but Beckwith couldn’t get his shot on target. Within a minute they found themselves behind as the ball was given away in their own half and Declan Benjamin was able to send a chip over Frost to put Ardley into a 1-0 lead.

However, ten minutes later Ardley were down to ten men. Jordy Ngathe had already received a yellow card late in the first half for a bad tackle on Nagheeb, and a similar tackle on Pett in the 60th minute saw him receive a second yellow with a red card.

For the remainder of the game Ardley were hanging onto their lead as Leverstock pushed forward with their numerical advantage. With ten minutes remaining both Blunden and Elginey Daalberg missed chances inside the box. However, with five minutes remaining Kyeremeh went on a run into the opposition half. His lofted ball into the box was headed away, but only as far as Blunden on the edge of the box, and after controlling it with his first touch, he smashed home a volley with his second touch for a deserved equaliser.

Leverstock Green (0) 1 (Blunden 85)
1. Oscar Frost, 2. Brad Robinson (15. Adrian Pitfield 53 mins), 3. Rio Beach, 18. Bobby Armstrong, 5. Alvin Kyeremeh, 6. Ryan Carruthers, 7. Ethan Mooney (12. Lewis Collins 53 mins), 8. Dan Pett, 9. Chris Blunden, 10. Ibrahim Nagheeb (14. Elgeniy Daalberg 72 mins), 11. Luke Beckwith. Subs not used: 16. Kai Stonnell, 17. Sean Walsh.
Ardley United (0) 1 (Benjamin 50)
1. Ben Hoy, 2. Jordy Ngathe, 3. Ben Willoughby, 4. Liam Talboys, 5. Joshua Tooke, 6. Conal Rogan (15. Darius Brovone 57 mins), 7. Mason Courtney, 8. Declan Benjamin, 9. Anaclet Odhiambo (17. Tobias London 70 mins), 10. Callum McNish, 11. Elliott Osborne-Ricketts (16. Lewis Gabbidon 63 mins). Subs not used: 12. Ben Gascoigne, 14. Liam Howard.