Match Report

It was yet another draw for Leverstock Green as they continue to try to find the points to keep themselves in the Southern League. The 1-1 result at Ware was their third straight draw and their 12th in 27 league games.

Both sides had plenty of chances during the game. Jamie Breen hit a shot just over the angle for Leverstock in the 4th minute, while at the other end a minute later Jon Clements hit a shot across goal and wide. A Leverstock mistake in the 15th minute saw the ball given away to Joe Dearman, who ran through on goal but fortunately shot wide. A minute later it was Leverstock who took the lead. Breen made an excellent run down the left wing, beating three players before sending over a cross. Ademide Baruwa laid the ball back to Guiseppe Delgaudio, who struck a shot from the edge of the box which went in off the post for the opening goal.

There were chances for Leverstock to increase their lead. In the 22nd minute a shot from Breen was kept out by the keeper’s legs, while a minute later Baruwa put in a powerful challenge in the box to win the ball before hitting a sweet strike that curled just over the bar. Instead it was Ware that equalised in the 24th minute. Samuel Mayuma was allowed too much room to run at goal and hit a shot which Ryan North parried away, but George Ironton followed up and netted the rebound to level the scores.

The game was still level at the break, and early in the second half Leverstock had another couple of good chances. In the 48th minute Luke Beckwith broke away down the left. His shot was saved by keeper Fred Burbidge, and the rebound fell for Delgaudio, but Burbidge kept out his effort too. A minute later there was another chance for Delgaudio, who got on the end of a great cross from Kyle Connolly, but his header landed on top of the net.

It was then the turn of North to keep Leverstock in the game with a series of great saves, firstly in the 50th minute to deny Stefanos Georgiou from point blank range. North saved again from Dearman in the 53rd minute, and denied Georgiou again two minute later, saving with his legs.

Beckwith went very close with a superb long-range strike in the 62nd minute that flew just over the bar, and North produced his best save of the game in the 75th minute to turn away a fierce strike from Ironton. Neither side was able to break the deadlock over the remaining minutes, and both sides are still looking for their first wins of 2025.

Ware (1) 1 (Ironton 24)
1. Fred Burbidge, 2. Stefanos Georgiou (12. Johnny Allotey 63 mins), 3. Joe Dearman, 4. Chukuma Okotcha, 5. Jay Rolfe, 6. Mackye Townsend-West, 7. George Ironton (16. Gucci Soulya-Osekanongo), 8. Max Granville, 9. Jon Clements, 10. Samuel Mayuma, 11. Gabriel Chapps (15. Thomas Kay 9 mins). Subs not used: 14. David Sota, 19. Lewis Thomas.
Leverstock Green (1) 1 (Delgaudio 16)
1. Ryan North, 2. Lucas Georgiou (12. Lewis Collins 72 mins), 3. Jamie Breen (18. Marcus Warren 79 mins), 4. Dan Weeks, 5. Oliwier Fusiek, 6. Ryan Carruthers (14. Nat Connolly 63 mins), 7. Kyle Connolly, 8. Dan Pett, 9. Guiseppe Delgaudio (15. Keanu Fleming 72 mins), 10. Luke Beckwith, 11. Ademide Baruwa (17. Rawn Seale 52 mins).