Match Report

Leverstock Green ended Leighton Town’s 100% league record as they came away from Saturday’s home match with a 2-2 draw. It was another match where Leverstock established a lead which they couldn’t hold on to, but it was still an excellent point against a strong side that are expected to be competing for promotion this season.

Leighton had the game’s first near miss in the 11th minute when Tolu Ikuyinmini hit the post with a shot from distance. However, it was Leverstock who opened the scoring in the 15th minute. Callum Neal delivered an excellent cross from the right touchline, and Jeffrey Sekyere got up to meet it with a glancing header that went in off the post to put Leverstock 1-0 up.

Ikuyinmini was unlucky again in the 25th minute, hitting the post again with a free kick from outside the box. Seven minutes later Leverstock doubled their lead. Iker Noguera Leon played a superb through ball from his own half, allowing Sekyere to run onto it and shrug off the last defender before calmly slotting the ball past the keeper to make it 2-0.

Leverstock took their two-goal lead into the break, but the second half was always going to be tough with Leighton’s powerful forward line playing down the slope. The visitors pulled a goal back in the 53rd minute when Kyal Williams was found in space on the edge of the area and smashed a shot past Harry Way to make it 2-1.

Williams might have equalised in the 61st minute but was denied twice at the far post, firstly from a goalline clearance from Neal and secondly by a save from Way. Leverstock were still holding onto their lead going into the final minutes, but in the 84th minute they conceded a free kick in a dangerous position on the goalline just outside the box. The free kick was floated to the far post, where Sam McClelland headed home the equaliser.

The game could have gone either way during a lengthy period of stoppage time, with Aldo Petagine going closest for Leverstock with a shot that went just over the angle. Crucially though, Leverstock held on to claim a well-deserved point from the game which keeps them in mid-table at this early stage of the season.

Leverstock Green (2) 2 (Sekyere 15, 32)
1. Harry Way, 2. Callum Neal, 3. Rio Beach, 4. Josh Dooley, 20. Tommy Boxer, 6. Nat Connolly (12. Dan Casey 73 mins), 7. Joe McCarthy (15. Ethan Mooney 66 mins), 8. Dan Pett, 9. Jeffrey Sekyere, 10. Juan Pablo Velasco (14. John Gyabaah 81 mins), 11. Iker Noguera Leon (16. Aldo Petagine 87 mins). Sub not used: 18. Joel Onu.
Leighton Town (0) 2 (Williams 53, McClelland 84)
1. Henry Blackledge, 2. Luke Pyman, 3. Tolu Ikuyinminu, 4. Charlie Pattison, 5. Ben Farrell (14. Daniel Tagoe H/T), 6. Sam McClelland (15. Leo Farruch 85 mins), 7. Kyal Williams (17. Yusuf Sankoh 90+1 mins), 8. Jack Sayell (12. Pap Jawara 66 mins), 9. Sydney Ibie, 10. Godlove Oppong, 11. Samuel King (16. Rio Dasilva 66 mins).