Match Report

After three straight league defeats on the road, Leverstock Green returned home and got back to winning ways. Three second half goals ensured three points against visitors Hoddesdon Town, who had inflicted Leverstock’s first league defeat of the season back in October.

Assistant manager Scott McGleish was back in the dugout today – on crutches and in a cast but on the road to recovery from his fractured ankle. Fergus Moore tried out a new-look Leverstock formation, with three at the back, including a debut for Romario Jonas, on a dual registration from Broadfields United.

The initial stages of the game saw Leverstock with the bulk of the possession, but creating little in the way of chances. In the 5th minute a free kick from Rio Beach found Radu-Mihai Stefanoaica at the far post, but his header was wide. Kurainashe Musanhi and Dan Pett both had shots over the bar around the half-hour mark, but the first big chance came in the 35th minute. Stefanoaica was put clean through, and sent a lob over keeper Liam Nugent that looked to be heading for the net, but bounced up and came back off the bar.

The rebound dropped for Chris Blunden, but from a narrow angle and with a defender in the way he was unable to force the ball inside the post. Blunden was denied again in first half stoppage time when a cross from Musanhi set him up with a close-range shot which Nugent did well to keep out.

Leverstock were attacking up the slope in the second half, and five minutes in they finally found the net. A back pass from a Hoddesdon defender came up short and Blunden intercepted. Unable to put the ball away himself, Blunden squared for Stefanoaica, who took a couple of touches before steering the ball past the defenders on the line for the opening goal.

The lead was doubled in the 59th minute. Pett broke forward from the halfway line and laid the ball out to Stefanoaica, who returned the complement for the first goal by squaring for Blunden to shoot home from close range.

Further goals looked likely, as Ethan Mooney was denied by a great save from Nugent on 61 minutes, and a goalline clearance from Connor Bolton a minute later. Stefanoaica threatened again in the 69th minute with a surging run from the halfway line, but he ran into the keeper before he was able to shoot or lay off to Blunden.

On 72 minutes a stinging shot from Pett was tipped over the bar by Nugent. Pett’s first attempt at the resulting corner was headed behind for another corner. His second attempt had Nugent flapping unsuccessfully at the ball and Stefanoaica was there to head home his second and Leverstock’s third goal.

The Hoddesdon side kept battling throughout the game, and were unlucky not to pull a goal back in the 80th minute when a shot hit the post. Leverstock might have had a penalty late in the game when John Shamalo appeared to be brought down, but nothing was given, and they had to be content with the three goals. Stefanoaica was named man-of-the-match, but there was also an outstanding performance at the back from Danny May.

Leverstock Green (0) 3 (Stefanoaica 50, 73, Blunden 59)
1. Austin Byfield, 2. Danny May, 3. Kurainashe Musanhi (14. Richard Ennin 65 mins), 4. Dan Weeks, 18. Romario Jonas, 6. Ryan Carruthers, 7. Ethan Mooney (15. Alvin Kyeremeh 78 mins), 8. Dan Pett, 9. Chris Blunden (12. Elgeniy Daalberg 77 mins), 10. Radu-Mihai Stefanoaica (17. John Shamalo 74 mins), 11. Rio Beach (16. Ibrahim Nagheeb 70 mins).
Hoddesdon Town (0) 0
1. Liam Nugent, 2. Harry Norman, 3. Connor Bolton, 4. Ben Fox (15. Terel Sterling 66 mins), 5. Chilbuikem Nzeh, 6. Jack Gibbs (12. Joe Parmley 15 mins), 7. Blue Gallagher (14. Larry Asare-Bediko 57 mins), 8. Sam Cross, 9. Callum Bennison (16. Joe Shemouda 57 mins), 10. Harry Andic, 11. Archie Locke. Sub not used: 18. Ethan Gannon.