Match Report

Leverstock Green came away with a point from their visit to Tring Athletic on Holiday Tuesday, and it was a very hard-fought point in terrible conditions. Goalkeeper Austin Byfield was the hero for Leverstock, pulling off a string of brilliant saves to keep the game level and ensure that his side continued their unbeaten league run. For both sides it was their first game for three weeks after the postponements caused by the recent cold snap.

There was a debut for new signing Danny May, an experienced defender who started at Northampton Town before going on to play for a number of non-league clubs, including Hemel Hempstead Town, Royston Town and Colney Heath. There was also a return from injury for Luke Durnin, making his first appearance since September, although his return was cut short after a head injury in the first half. Luke Beckwith also made his first appearance since September, having been playing for AFC Dunstable in the meantime.

It was May who had Leverstock’s first effort on goal of the game, hitting a shot from distance just over the bar in the third minute. There was a scare for Leverstock in the 16th minute when Bogdan Marian put the ball across the face of their goal, but no-one was on the end of it. There was another escape two minutes later when the ball was again in the Leverstock six-yard box but George Carbery couldn’t get his boot on the ball.

Leverstock’s best effort of the game came in the 35th minute when Chris Blunden’s shot from the edge of the box struck the bar. Byfield pulled off the first of his great saves in the 44th minute, turning a close-range shot from Godlove Oppong over the bar. In stoppage time Leverstock went close again when former Green keeper Oscar Frost flapped at a corner, but Eli Hearn headed the loose ball off the line. Further into stoppage time Byfield pulled off another great save as he dived full-length to turn a free kick from Marian round the post.

The conditions deteriorated in the second half with heavy rain being blown sideways across the pitch by strong winds. Leverstock were playing up the slope and had difficulty keeping the ball out of their own half for any length of time. There was a succession of chances for Tring, but Byfield denied Leo Farruch three times, twice at his near post and once with his feet. There were also a number of goalmouth scrambles, but the Leverstock defence never stopped battling and kept the ball out.

Having not created any chances during the second half, Leverstock had a chance to win the game in stoppage time as Blunden got past a defender in the box and had a shooting opportunity open up for a second, but his eventual shot was off target. In the end Leverstock were very happy to come away with a point from a game where they were under the cosh for long periods in the second half by a very good Tring side. Leverstock and Tring remained fifth and sixth respectively in the SSML Premier Division table after today’s results.

Tring Athletic (0) 0
1. Oscar Frost, 2. Eli Hearn, 5. Charlie Waller, 6. Lenny Armstrong, 8. Jack Harvey, 11. Bogdan Marian, 13. George Carbery (7. Frankie Hercules 72 mins), 17. Leo Farruch, 4. Greg Deer, 19. Godlove Oppong (9. Guiseppe Delgaudio 69 mins), 20. Harry Shepherd. Subs not used: 3. Adam Sawyer, 18. Harrison Mead, 14. Davide Poobe.
Leverstock Green (0) 0
1. Austin Byfield, 2. Brad Robinson (16. Sean Walsh 84 mins), 3. Rio Beach, 4 Luke Durnin (12. Luke Beckwith 28 mins), 5. Alvin Kyemereh, 6. Danny May, 7. Radu-Mihai Stefanoaica (14. Elgeniy Daalberg 77 mins), 8. Dan Pett, 9. Chris Blunden, 10. Ryan Carruthers, 11. Ethan Mooney. Subs not used: 15. Ayomide Oke, 20. Scott McGleish.