Match Report

Leverstock Green made it three straight league wins as they came away from Saturday’s visit to Biggleswade United with all three points. An excellent first half display set the foundation for a 3-1 win in which both of the Green’s top scorers found the net again.

Leverstock took control of the match from the start and went ahead in the 10th minute. Skipper Dan Weeks clipped a pass down the left touchline to Radu-Mihai Stefanoaica, who continued his run into the box before laying off for Chris Blunden to bundle the ball over the line for his 17th goal of the season.

Weeks also instigated the second goal in the 25th minute, winning the ball from a defender with a tough tackle that the home side were expecting to see penalised, but the referee waved play on. Blunden picked up the loose ball and headed towards goal before slipping a superb pass through to Dan Pett, who slotted the ball under the keeper for a 2-0 lead.

Further goals could have been added as Leverstock dominated the first half. Bobby Armstrong headed over the bar from a Pett corner on 33 minutes, and a minute later a cross dropped for Kurainashe Musanhi at the far post, but he didn’t catch his shot cleanly and the keeper saved. In first half stoppage time Weeks played a great ball to put Stefanoaica through on goal, but his shot was saved. Further into stoppage time Armstrong slid in at the far post to meet a free kick from Rio Beach, but his effort hit the post.

Leverstock held a thoroughly deserved 2-0 lead at the break, but the second half was a different story as the home side fought back strongly, now with the slope and the wind in their favour. Biggleswade’s top scorer Taylor Rhiney shot just over the bar in the 49th minute, and got even closer in the 65th minute with a shot that hit the bar.

The Green defence were holding out well despite being under the cosh for long periods of the half, but in the 78th minute they were finally breached as a cross came in from the right and substitute Mo Zilboud slid in to stab the ball home from close range.

As with Tuesday’s game at Aylesbury the game was now suddenly back in the balance, but also as with that game a late goal helped to calm the nerves and seal the points for Leverstock, and again it was Stefanoaica who scored it, running onto a through header from Ethan Mooney and going on to slot the ball past the keeper to make the score 3-1 in the 87th minute.

Again there were several outstanding performances, particularly from Blunden and Weeks, but the MOM award went to Danny May for a calm and assured display at the back.

Biggleswade United (0) 1 (Zilboud 78)
13. Ollie Leslie, 2. Milo Keane, 3. Ashley Henry-Brown (12. Mo Zilboud 65 mins), 4. Conor Inskip (16. Jordan Jarrold 72 mins), 5. Cade Stephens-Abbey, 6. Joe Babbage, 7. Raheem Jabbar, 8. Josh Sturniolo, 9. Taylor Rhiney, 10. Jaiden Irish, 11. Jesus Mendoza. Subs not used: 14. Gareth Hunt, 15. Justin Greatorex, 17. Bradley Heaps.
Leverstock Green (2) 3 (Blunden 10, Pett 25, Stefanoaica 87)
1. Austin Byfield, 2. Danny May, 3. Kurainashe Musanhi, 4. Dan Weeks, 18. Bobby Armstrong, 6. Ryan Carruthers (16. Ibrahim Nagheeb 67 mins), 7. Ethan Mooney (14. Elgeniy Daalberg 90+4 mins), 8. Dan Pett, 9. Chris Blunden (15. Richard Ennin 79 mins), 10. Radu-Mihai Stefanoaica (17. John Shamalo 88 mins), 11. Rio Beach (12. Luke Beckwith 90+2 mins).