Match Report

Leverstock Green and Dunstable Town went into Saturday’s game as the last two remaining unbeaten sides in the SSML Premier Division, and remained so after the game. It was an entertaining and feisty match which saw red cards on both sides, and Leverstock twice held the lead, but in the end a draw was a fair result.

Leverstock started the game brightly and took an early lead in the 6th minute. Radu-Mihai Stefanoaica got to the bye-line and clipped the ball into the six yard box, where Chris Blunden met it with a skilful flick past the keeper to open the scoring.

Kyle Faulkner hit a shot just wide for Dunstable in the 13th minute, but with the slope and a breeze in their favour Leverstock had much the better of the possession in the first half, although they didn’t create as many clear-cut chances as their possession merited. Dan Pett launched a number of dangerous corners into the box, and in the last minute of the half one of these caused a goalmouth scramble in which Ryan Carruthers had a shot well saved by visiting keeper Charlie Jones.

Dunstable had the elements in their favour in the second half, and three minutes in they levelled the scores. A long throw into the box caused problems, and Austin Byfield did well to parry away a shot, but Harry Beaumont followed in to net the rebound.

The visitors could have gone in front on 53 minutes with Faulkner clean through on goal, but Byfield produced a great save to block his shot wide. The game exploded on the hour mark as an altercation over a throw-in turned into a mass brawl, which resulted in both sides being reduced to ten men with Stefanoaica and Faulkner being shown straight red cards.

Bobby Armstrong headed just over the bar from a Pett corner in the 69th minute, but in the 76th minute Leverstock went back in front with a spectacular solo goal from Rio Beach, who ran at the penalty area before launching what was probably intended as a cross, but instead drifted over the head of Jones and in off the far post for a 2-1 lead.

However, the lead was short-lived. Before the restart Dunstable brought Sean Immanuel off the bench, and the substitute made an immediate impact by finishing off a Dunstable break with a shot past Byfield to level the scores in the 78th minute.

Dunstable came close to a winner in the 89th minute from a corner. Immanuel’s header came back off the post, and a follow up effort from Remell Stirling was kept out by a brilliant save from man-of-the-match Byfield. Leverstock finished the game with nine men after Ibrahim Nagheeb received his second yellow card for a foul in stoppage time, but the nine men held out for their deserved point.

Leverstock Green (1) 2 (Blunden 6, Beach 76)
1. Austin Byfield, 2. Adrian Pitfield, 3. Rio Beach, 18. Bobby Armstrong, 5. Alvin Kyeremeh, 6. Ibrahim Nagheeb, 7. Ethan Mooney, 8. Dan Pett, 9. Chris Blunden, 10. Ryan Carruthers, 11. Radu-Mihai Stefanoaica. Subs not used: 12. Callum Moore, 14. Kurainashe Musanhi, 15. Ayomide Oke, 16. Brad Robinson, 20. Scott McGleish.
Dunstable Town (0) 2 (Beaumont 48, Immanuel 78)
1. Charlie Jones, 2. Ethan Creary, 3. Benji Crilley, 4. Liam McCrohan, 5. J’Ardell Stirling, 6. Alfie Osborne, 7. Harry Beaumont, 8. Liuke Dunstan (14. Remell Stirling 53 mins), 9. Joe Sellers-West (17. Sean Immanuel 77 mins), 10. Kyle Faulkner, 11. Tolu Ikuyinminu (19. Kelvin Osei-Addo 90 mins). Subs not used: 15. Ruairi Mills, 16. Dan Naylor.