Match Report

Leverstock Green’s Southern League survival hopes took a huge blow as they fell to a home defeat to one of their relegation rivals. Kidlington came from behind to win the game with two second half headers and open up a four-point gap ahead of Leverstock.

Leverstock had the better of the first half chances. In the 10th minute a pass from Luke Beckwith put Guiseppe Delgaudio in on goal, but visiting keeper Charlie Barnett got a hand to Delgaudio’s shot to keep it out. On 25 minutes Dan Pett set Beckwith up with a chance, but his shot was deflected just wide.

Finally in the 36th minute Leverstock struck on the break, as Delgaudio hit a superb pass from his own half into the path of Beckwith, who ran clean through and slotted the ball past Barnett to put Leverstock into a 1-0 lead. Beckwith almost doubled his tally four minutes later but his effort from distance went just wide.

Leverstock would have hoped to build on their advantage playing down the slope in the second half, but the departure of Kyle Connolly through injury in the 51st minute was a big blow. Kidlington started to look the stronger side and they equalised in the 58th minute with a very well-worked goal, breaking quickly with a cross coming in from the left touchline that was finished by a header at the far post from Fraser Allen.

Beckwith was unlucky again in the 65th minute as his header from a corner was cleared off the line. The game could have gone either way in the closing minutes, but it was Kidlington who got the crucial goal in the 86th minute, finished by Charlie Bacon with another header at the far post.

Leverstock still have ten games to play, but they are likely to need to win most of them to stand a chance of staying up.

Leverstock Green (1) 1 (Beckwith 36)
1. Ryan North, 2. Ademide Baruwa, 3. Jamie Breen (16. Ethan Mooney 79 mins), 4. Josh Dooley, 5. Gary Connolly (17. Marcus Warren 87 mins), 6. Ryan Carruthers, 7. Kyle Connolly (12. Nat Connolly 51 mins), 8. Dan Pett, 9. Guiseppe Delgaudio (14. Keanu Fleming 76 mins), 10. Rawn Seale, 11. Luke Beckwith. Sub not used: 15. Lucas Georgiou.
Kidlington (0) 2 (Allen 58, Bacon 86)
1. Charlie Barnett, 2. Zarius Edwards-Giraud, 3. Michael Hopkins (15. Conor Taylor 42 mins), 4. Josh McConnell (12. Aydin Ulas 66 mins), 5. Matthew Gunn, 6. Otis Castle, 7. Charlie Bacon, 8. Felix Robertson, 9. Fraser Allen, 10. Patrick Osborne, 11. John Dennis (16. Nathaniel Opoku 72 mins). Sub not used: 13. Alfie Clarke, 14. Henry Woodcock.