Match Report

At start of play FC Romania were in third place and Leverstock Green FC were in fifth place, but by the final whistle those positions had reversed as Leverstock hit the top three of the SSML Premier Division with another impressive result.

It was a tight game of few chances, especially in the first half. The game’s first serious effort on goal came in the 22nd minute when Romania’s Tobi Coker hit a shot on target, but it was comfortably saved by Leverstock Green FC keeper Josh Bowler. A minute later at the other end the game sprung into life as Leverstock took the lead with a bolt from the blue. Luke Beckwith cut in from the left to the edge of the penalty area, then unleashed a ferocious right-footed shot that flew past the outstretched arm of visiting keeper Conor Beattie into the net.

That looked like being the only action of note until first half stoppage time. A crossfield pass from Ryan Carruthers found Rio Beach outside the left corner of the penalty area with three defenders ahead of him, but somehow Beach’s mazy run took him past all three of them before slotting a shot past Beattie to send Leverstock Green FC  into the break with a 2-0 lead.

Coker continued to be the main danger man for the visitors in the second half. On 55 minutes he got his boot onto a cross from the right but it was gathered by Bowler, and three minutes later Coker broke away but his eventual shot was kept out by Bowler, who also did well to claim the ball to end a goalmouth scramble from the ensuing corner.

In the 64th minute a rash challenge in the box from Radu-Mihai Stefanoaica resulted in the referee awarding the visitors a penalty, and Zenon Stylianidis converted the spot kick to put his side back in the game at 2-1.

There were a couple of further near-misses from Coker as Romania piled on the pressure, but Leverstock Green FC held onto their lead and with two minutes remaining re-established their two-goal cushion. A foul on Stefanoaica gave Leverstock a free kick in a dangerous position. Dan Pett hit a superb effort which came back off the post, and George Mitchell-Gears was on hand to head home the rebound for a 3-1 lead.

However, Leverstock Green FC supporters have come to expect tense finishes, and there was another one here. Two minutes into stoppage time a missed challenge on the edge of the box allowed Coker through to steer a shot past Bowler and reduce the arrears to 3-2. The referee played several more minutes of stoppage time, but again Leverstock were able to hold out for another big three points which keeps them in the Premier Division play-off spots.

Leverstock Green FC (2) 3 (Beckwith 23, Beach 45+2, Mitchell-Gears 88)
1. Josh Bowler, 2. Ethan Mooney, 3. Rio Beach, 4. Paul Marks, 5. Callum Neal, 6. Ryan Carruthers (12. Ademide Baruwa 84 mins), 7. Luke Beckwith (15. George Mitchell-Gears 72 mins), 8. Dan Pett, 9. Rawn Seale (16. Jayden Newman 81 mins), 10. Nat Connolly, 11. Radu-Mihai Stefanoaica (14. Lewis Collins 90+4 mins). Sub not used: 17. Brad Robinson.
FC Romania FC (0) 2 (Stylianidis 64 pen, Coker 90+2)
1. Conor Beattie, 2. Marius Patru, 3. German Petrov, 4. Johan Becka, 5. Phil Lowen (20. Stephane Ngamvoulou 80 mins), 6. Goncalves Da Cruz (17. Arti Krasniqi 53 mins), 7. Williams Danquah (15. Zivonimir Lopes 84 mins), 8. Tobi Coker, 9. Lanre Balogun, 10. Zenon Stylianidis, 11. Malik Nosiku (16. Laste Dombaxe 90+2 mins). Sub not used: 12. Lubomir Georgiev.