Match Report

A poor second half saw Leverstock Green FC slide to a home defeat against Dunstable Town in a game which they ended with ten men. Leverstock failed to capitalise on a strong start to the game, and suffered their first home league defeat of the season.

After some promising buildup play early in the game, Leverstock took the lead in the 15th minute thanks to another combination of their front two. Chris Blunden played a great pass which allowed Radu-Mihai Stefanoaica to outpace the last Dunstable defender before taking the ball round the keeper and slotting home.

The visitors should have been level three minutes later when a misunderstanding between Austin Byfield and Callum Neal left Tolu Ikuyinminu with a shot at an empty net, but his shot went wide. However, on 30 minutes poor defending was punished when three chances were missed for Leverstock Green FC to clear the ball from the edge of their own penalty area before Kyle Faulkner took advantage to shoot home the equaliser.

Following the equaliser Leverstock’s play dropped off, and this continued into the second half as they seemed unable to get their forwards into the game. Dunstable had the ball in the net with a looping header in the 54th minute, but it was disallowed for offside.

A change in the 60th minute saw Lewis Collins replace Luke Beckwith, and four minutes later Collins produced Leverstock’s best moment of the half with a dipping long-range shot which was tipped over the bar by visiting keeper Connor Coulson. A minute later Stefanoaica went on a run into the box before putting over a low cross which just eluded Collins at the far post. The play switched straight to the other end, where Danny Webb was clean through on goal but hit his shot straight at Byfield.

Dunstable made their first change in the 70th minute, bringing on Kelvin Osei-Addo, who was on the pitch for less than a minute before putting his side into the lead. Receiving the ball on the edge of the six-yard box, Osei-Addo turned away from a defender before shooting past Byfield.

Leverstock Green FC made two further changes in the 77th minute to try and rescue the game, but less than a minute later it was 3-1 as Danny Webb struck from the edge of the box. Things went from bad to worse in the 86th minute as George Mitchell-Gears was shown a straight red card for a poor challenge less than ten minutes after coming off the bench. Any comeback was now out of the question as Dunstable came away with a deserved win.

Leverstock Green FC (1) 1 (Stefanoaica 15)
1. Austin Byfield, 2. Mikey Havill-Tierney (17. Brad Robinson 87 mins), 3. Rio Beach, 4. Dan Weeks, 5. Callum Neal, 6. Ryan Carruthers, 7. Luke Beckwith (14. Lewis Collins 60 mins), 8. Shaz Anwar, 9, Chris Blunden (15. George Mitchell-Gears 77 mins), 10. Nat Connolly (16. Ethan Mooney 77 mins), 11. Radu-Mihai Stefanoaica. Sub not used: 12. Ademide Baruwa.
Dunstable Town FC (1) 3 (Faulkner 30, Osei-Addo 71, Webb 78)
1. Connor Coulson, 2. Ethan Creary, 3. Dylan Baker, 4. Benji Crilley, 5. Robbie Goodman, 6. Alfie Osborne (15. Joe Reynolds 80 mins), 7. Ruairi Mills, 8. Harry Beaumont (16. Jimmy Doherty 87 mins), 9. Kyle Faulkner (18. Kelvin Osei-Addo 70 mins), 10. Danny Webb, 11. Tolu Ikuyinminu. Subs not used: 19. Isaac Olaleye, 20. Sam Scott.