Match Report

Leverstock Green are still looking for their first league win of the season, but put up a good display against last season’s playoff semi-finalists Barton Rovers before going down to a late goal on the break.

Leverstock started the game brightly, and went close in the opening minute as Juan Pablo Velasco hit a shot over the bar. In the 5th minute Dan Casey ran down the left and put in a high, looping cross which looked like it was going out, but curled back into the box, and as the ball came down Josh Dooley got to it ahead of the keeper to head home his first goal for the club and put Leverstock into an early lead.

The scores were levelled in the 15th minute as Leverstock gave away a penalty for a challenge inside the box after a defensive slip. Albie Hall sent the spot kick past Harry Way to put Barton back on level terms.

Barton were well on top during the last 15 minutes of the half and could have gone into the break with a comfortable lead. In the 37th minute a header from Hall was superbly headed off the line by Dooley, and Way made some excellent saves to keep the scores level. In first half stoppage time a missed header from Dooley presented Hall with another chance but he shot weakly wide. Just before the break Leverstock lost their skipper to injury as Ryan Carruthers had to leave the game to be replaced by Oliver Glimas.

The second half continued with Barton in the ascendancy, and they went close in the 56th minute when Marcus Gouldbourne shot into the side netting. However, the introduction of substitute Iker Noguera Leon in the 59th minute for his debut gave Leverstock a new lease of life, and they started to play their way back into the game. They went close in the 69th minute on the break from a Barton corner as Velasco ran at the defence before hitting a shot from a narrow angle which the keeper parried, with the rebound just eluding Jeffrey Sekyere. In the 76th minute Glimas made a driving run into the box and had the goal in his sights, but didn’t get a shot away and the chance was gone.

It was looking like the game was heading for a draw, but in the 84th minute Leverstock were caught on the break. A ball from the back found Gouldbourne on the halfway line, and he outpaced the Leverstock defence to go through and slot the ball past Way and put Barton 2-1 up.

It could have been 3-1 in the 89th minute as Hall hit a long-range looping effort but it came back off the bar. Leverstock kept pushing throughout stoppage time but could not carve out an equaliser. There were still plenty of positives to take from this game as the new-look Leverstock side continues to gel.

Leverstock Green (1) 1 (Dooley 5)
1. Harry Way, 2. Callum Neal, 3. Dan Casey, 4. Josh Dooley, 5. Matt Forkin, 6. Ryan Carruthers (14. Oliver Glimas 45+2 mins), 7. Juan Pablo Velasco, 8. John Gyabaah, 9. Jeffrey Sekyere, 10. Nat Connolly (19. Joel Onu 85 mins), 11. Kai Nemoto (15. Iker Noguera Leon 59 mins). Subs not used: 12. Justin Dass, 16. Tunde Akinpelu.
Barton Rovers (1) 2 (Hall 15 pen, Gouldbourne 84)
1. Benjamin Heath, 2. Ryan Neufville, 3. Thomas Baggaley (15. Charlie Milton 77 mins), 4. Saul Williams (16. Kian Wilkes 77 mins), 5. Kai Phelan, 6. Michael Buckmaster, 7. Marcus Gouldbourne (12. Reece Perry 87 mins), 8. Alfie Warman, 9. Albie Hall, 10. Lucas Kirkpatrick (14. Josiah Ramsay 87 mins), 11. Rawn Seale (17. Lucas Jordan 63 mins).