Match Report

Leverstock Green were beaten for a second Saturday in a row, but this time it was a goal deep into stoppage time which saw them beaten at home by Cockfosters. It was a game of few chances between two very evenly-matched teams in which a draw would have been a fair result, but it was not to be in the end.

Leverstock had the better of the early part of the game, although with little to show for it. A foul on Radu-Mihai Stefanoaica gave them a free kick in a dangerous position on the edge of the box on 14 minutes, but Ibrahim Nagheeb’s effort flew over the bar. Danny May went closer with a shot from distance in the 27th minute but it was still wide of the target.

Cockfosters had shown little threat up to this point, but they took the lead in the 37th minute when Leverstock failed to deal with the visitors’ main tactic – the long throw. A huge throw was flicked on towards the far post where Aiden Read headed home. They almost got a second goal in the 43rd minute but were denied by a double save from Austin Byfield, the second of them turning the ball over the bar with his feet.

Leverstock made a brighter start to the second half, and found the equaliser five minutes in. Chris Blunden flicked the ball through to Stefanoaica, who rode a couple of challenges on a run into the box before slotting home from a narrow angle to level the scores.

The Green side continued to push forward but were unable to create any clear-cut chances. Cockfosters continued to use the long throw at every opportunity, and a couple of them caused moments of danger inside the Leverstock six-yard box, but as the game went into stoppage time, the scores were still level, and it was difficult to argue that either side deserved to win or lose the game.

For a game that saw few stoppages, the stoppage time went on for an inordinately long time. Over 5 minutes had been played when another long throw came into the Green box. The immediate danger appeared to have been cleared, but a shot from outside the box by Ethan Rookard was only parried away by Byfield, and Harrison Rookard was first to the rebound for an easy tap-in to win the game.

Leverstock Green (0) 1 (Stefanoaica 50)
1. Austin Byfield, 2. Alvin Kyeremeh, 3. Kurainashe Musanhi (14. Richard Ennin 66 mins), 4. Luke Durnin, 5. Danny May, 6. Rio Beach, 7. Elgeniy Daalberg (16. Ethan Mooney 74 mins), 8. Dan Pett, 9. Chris Blunden, 10. Ibrahim Nagheeb, 11. Radu-Mihai Stefanoaica. Subs not used: 12. Ryan Carruthers, 15. George Mitchell-Gears, 18. Bobby Armstrong.
Cockfosters (1) 2 (Read 37, H.Rookard 90+6)
1. Charlie Mann, 2. Kenny Nobrega, 3. Prince Madu, 4. Matt Thomson, 5. Aiden Read, 6. Jay Lovell, 7. Antonio Michael, 8. Chris Griffin (14. Joe Entwistle 74 mins), 9. George Devine (16. Harrison Rookard 76 mins), 10. George Sippetts (17. Ethan Rookard 62 mins), 11. Cory Ugbomah (15. Reece Barrett 84 mins). Sub not used: 12. Olly Finch.