Match Report

It was another disappointing afternoon for Leverstock Green FC as they exited the Isuza FA Vase at the Second Qualifying Round stage. Leverstock played well overall, and had more of the ball than opponents Crawley Green, but seem to be lacking confidence in front of goal at the moment, and were hit by goals against the run of play.

Manager Fergus Moore rang the changes after last week’s defeat at Potton, with three of the back four from that game being dropped to the bench. Luke Durnin and new signing Sean McGuinness came into a back five. Leverstock started the game well, with early shots from Chris Blunden and Rio Beach bringing comfortable saves from home keeper Tiernan Parker. There was a blow for Leverstock in the 15th minute, though, as keeper Austin Byfield had to go off with a groin injury that is likely to keep him out of action for several weeks. Development Team keeper Jamie Donovan came off the bench for his first team debut.

There was little action for either keeper for the remainder of the half. Leverstock had some promising attacks, but too often there was a reluctance to shoot from good positions on the edge of the box. A minute before the break Leverstock Green FC conceded a somewhat harsh free kick just outside their own box. It appeared that the Crawley player simply ran into Ryan Carruthers rather than any intent on Carruthers’ part. However, the home side took full advantage as Joe Hankins lifted the free kick over the wall and out of Donovan’s reach to send his side into the break with a 1-0 lead.

Again there were promising signs from Leverstock in the early stages of the second half. Within thirty seconds of the restart a long-range shot from Dan Pett was turned round the post by Parker. Danny May hit a shot just wide in the 50th minute. All the pressure was coming from the Leverstock side, but they were hit by a sucker punch in the 58th minute. Crawley broke away from a Leverstock corner, and the ball was pulled back from the bye-line to find Zion Selassie-Yoseph, who smashed home the second goal.

Lewis Collins came on as an extra attacker, and delivered a great cross in the 79th minute, but Pett’s header went over the bar. Leverstock Green FC continued to push forward and have more of the ball, but they were unable to get any change out of the Crawley defence, and the game was put out of their reach in the 86th minute as a mistake from Donovan gifted a third goal to Franklin Ojumobi.

Crawley Green FC (1) 3 (Hankins 44, Selassie-Yoseph 58, Ojumobi 86)
1. Tiernan Parker, 2. Nicolae Trif, 3. Adedoyin Sanni, 4. Joe Hankins, 5. Garry Jones, 6. Paolo Deritis, 7. Joe Parmley (17. Parys Smith 54 mins), 8. Marcel Buruiana (18. Keane Fullwood 59 mins), 9. Zion Selassie-Yoseph, 10. Tejon Brown, 11. Terry Offeh (16. Franklin Ojumobi 79 mins). Subs not used: 12. Joe Brinded, 14. Edis Greengrass, 15. Alex Lawlor, 19. Columbus Iyayi.
Leverstock Green FC (0) 0
1. Austin Byfield (19. Jamie Donovan 15 mins), 2. Ethan Mooney (14. Lewis Collins 59 mins), 3. Rio Beach, 4. Danny May, 5. Sean McGuinness, 6. Ryan Carruthers (12. Ademide Baruwa 66 mins), 20. Luke Durnin, 8. Dan Pett, 9. Chris Blunden, 10. Luke Beckwith, 11. Nat Connolly. Subs not used: 15. Oscar Evans, 16. Callum Neal, 17. Mikey Havill-Tierney, 18. Dan Weeks.