Match Report

Leverstock Green were once again denied their third league win of the season by a late equaliser as they drew their fifth straight game. The Leverstock side, which had been down to ten men since early in the second half, were just two minutes of stoppage time away from claiming the win when home side Enfield scored their equaliser.

Enfield had the better of the early exchanges, with some dangerous moments in and around the box, but it was Leverstock that had the game’s first real chance to break the deadlock in the 33rd minute. Joe McCarthy won the ball off a defender and went clean through on goal, but with only keeper George Edgeworth to beat, McCarthy miscued his shot and it went agonisingly wide. More pressure from the Leverstock forward line created another chance five minutes later as Jeffrey Sekyere got to the bye-line and pulled the ball back to set up Juan Pablo Velasco, but his shot was blocked.

Leverstock made a strong start to the second half, with Iker Noguera Leon setting up a chance for Rio Beach, but his effort was blocked by Edgeworth. However, in the 49th minute disaster struck as Leverstock gave the ball away on the edge of the opposition box. They were immediately caught on the break, and Umaro Kabia was clean through on goal until being brought down by a tackle from Beach. There was no doubt what would happen next as the referee brought out a straight red card for Beach and Leverstock were down to ten men. They had to sacrifice one of their forwards as Leon came off so that Aldo Petagine could take Beach’s place at left back.

A second subtitution in the 68th minute saw the introduction of striker Jack Allen, who joined from Harrow Borough this week for his second spell at the club. Allen could have marked his return with a goal in the 76th minute as he was clean through but again a good chance was missed as his shot went wide. However, a minute later Allen went on a run down the left and threaded a pass for another substitute Marcus Warren, who was immediately barged over inside the box. It was another easy decision for the referee to point to the penalty spot. Sekyere stepped up to take the kick and slotted it past Edgeworth to put Leverstock into a 1-0 lead.

Enfield could have equalised in the 80th minute but Harry Way pulled off a great close-range save to keep out a shot from Stan Valentine. Leverstock went close to a second goal in the 85th minute when Sekyere was through on goal, but from a narrow angle his shot went inches wide of the post. Eight minutes of stoppage time were signalled by the referee, and in the second of those Sekyere was through again and his ball across goal hit a defender and would have gone in for an own goal but for a superb save from Edgeworth.

It looked as though Leverstock were going to hold out for the much-needed win, but in the sixth minute of stoppage time Leverstock were unable to prevent a ball being pulled back from the bye-line, and it was met by Freddy Moncur with an unstoppable shot into the top corner of the net, and Leverstock once again had to settle for the draw.

Enfield (0) 1 (Moncur 90+6)
1. George Edgeworth, 2. Stan Valentine, 4. Jack Taylor (17. Lewis Croucher 87 mins), 5. Matthew Hurley (7. Joni Vukaj 65 mins), 6. Callum Taylor, 8. Nathan Brathwaite, 10. Umaru Kabia, 12. George Sykes, 18. Alexander Penn (14. James Bone 65 mins), 19. Can Arioglu (16. Freddy Moncur 80 mins), 20. Bradley McClenaghan (3. Luke Clark 65 mins).
Leverstock Green (0) 1 (Sekyere 78 pen)
1. Harry Way, 2. Callum Neal, 3. Rio Beach, 4. Josh Dooley, 5. Thomas Georgiou, 6. Nat Connolly, 7. Joe McCarthy (19. Jack Allen 68 mins), 8. Dan Pett, 9. Jeffrey Sekyere (20. Tommy Boxer 90+4 mins), 10. Juan Pablo Velasco (16. Marcus Warren 70 mins), 11. Iker Noguera Leon (15. Aldo Petagine 52 mins). Sub not used: 14. Ryan Carruthers.