Match Report

A late free kick from Chris Blunden salvaged a point for Leverstock Green from their trip to Shefford Town & Campton on Saturday, although how the Green side did not come away with all three points from a frantic finish to the game is a mystery. Both sides will feel they could have won this very open game with plenty of chances at both ends.

The first chance came with only 30 seconds on the clock. Hesitation inside the Green penalty area left Shefford’s Henry Snee with only Austin Byfield to beat, but the Leverstock keeper pulled off a great save. Leverstock’s first attack came in the 5th minute when Elgeniy Daalberg made a dazzling run down the right before crossing. Chris Blunden laid the ball back to George Mitchell-Gears, but his shot was deflected over the bar.

Four minutes later Ibrahim Nagheeb played a superb pass from his own half to put Mitchell-Gears in behind the last defender, but he delayed his shot a bit too long and was denied by keeper Reece Lewis. It was the home side that opened the scoring in the 13th minute, and there was an element of controversy about it as a Leverstock player looked to have been fouled on the halfway line as Shefford won the ball. A quick break forward saw Leverstock outnumbered at the back as Sam King was played in on the overlap to shoot past Byfield.

There were further chances for Leverstock. Lewis couldn’t hold onto a shot from Richard Ennin in the 22nd minute, but recovered to grab the ball before Blunden could get there. Six minutes later a poor kick out from Lewis went straight to Nagheeb just outside the box, but he shot over the bar. On 31 minutes a backheel from Blunden put Ennin through, but his shot went across goal and wide. The home side were still threatening, and Byfield had to pull off another great save from Sam Day on 34 minutes to keep his side in the game.

More chances came and went in the closing minutes of the half, the last of them falling to Daalberg from a Mitchell-Gears pass, but again the shot was across goal and wide.

Both sides had shots just off target in the opening minutes of the second half, and Shefford had another chance to double their lead on 50 minutes when Scott Metcalfe was through on goal, but Byfield got the faintest of touches to deflect his shot wide. On 69 minutes a throw from Adrian Pitfield got Blunden in behind the defence, but his shot from a narrow angle took a slight deflection off a defender which sent it wide.

Frustration was increasing in the Leverstock side as they still could not find the goal their excellent play had deserved, but five minutes from time they won a free kick in a central position 25 yards out. Blunden stepped up to take the kick and Lewis was left standing as the ball flew into the corner of the net for a long-overdue equaliser.

Leverstock now looked the most likely winners, but still their luck was out. On 87 minutes a shot from Ayomide Oke was pushed onto the post by Lewis. Blunden followed up for the rebound, but again it hit Lewis and the post. A goalmouth scramble ensued from the resulting corner but the ball would not go in. In the 90th minute Blunden got on the end of a cross from Oke with a glancing header that went inches wide. There were threats at both ends during five minutes of stoppage time, and the biggest surprise was that there were only two goals in this game.

The point leaves Leverstock holding on to 7th place with two league games to play.

Shefford Town & Campton (1) 1 (King 13)
1. Reece Lewis, 2. Kane O’Neill, 3. Chris Uchenna, 4. Mark Ansell-Carter (16. Joe Ryan 73 mins), 5. Charlie Milton, 6. Brad Lusty, 7. Mitch Foley, 8. Sam Day, 9. Henry Snee, 10. Sam King, 11. Scott Metcalfe (15. Ash Ingham 76 mins). Subs not used: 12. Dan Hammer, 14. Joe Gauge, 17. Luke Carter.
Leverstock Green (0) 1 (Blunden 85)
1. Austin Byfield, 2. Rio Beach, 3. Kurainashe Musanhi, 4. Dan Weeks, 5. Alvin Kyeremeh, 6. Ryan Carruthers (15. Adrian Pitfield 63 mins), 7. Elgeniy Daalberg (12. Raheem Khan 71 mins), 8. Ibrahim Nagheeb, 9. Chris Blunden, 10. George Mitchell-Gears (14. Ayomide Oke 78 mins), 11. Richard Ennin. Sub not used: 20. Fergus Moore, 16. Darren Bonfield.