Match Report

Leverstock Green came back from 3-1 down against Aylesbury United and should have gone on to win the game against ten men, but had to settle for yet another draw as they were unable to put the ball in the net during a frantic final ten minutes.

There were two further additions to the Leverstock squad today, with 17 year old striker Jael Norville joining on a work experience loan from Watford, and experienced utility player Lewis Rolfe signing on a dual registration from Chesham United.

Leverstock should have been ahead within twenty seconds of the kick off. After good build-up play from Jeffrey Sekyere and Iker Noguera Leon, Rolfe delivered a cross which Radu-Mihai Stefanoaica came in to meet, but put it wide from point blank range. However, in the 5th minute Leverstock were awarded a penalty for a mistimed tackle that brought down Stefanoaica, and Sekyere made no mistake from the spot kick to put them into a 1-0 lead.

Leverstock looked good value for their lead, but it was short-lived as the visitors equalised in the 15th minute through Sonny French, who hit a dipping shot from outside the box which flew over Harry Way. Worse was to come, as an almost identical strike from Finlay Reeves put Aylesbury 2-1 up in the 26th minute from only their second shot of the game. Leverstock were denied an equaliser in the 33rd minute, with Ducks keeper Jack Hopwood pulling off a great save to keep out Leon’s shot after a cross from Stefanoaica had set him up.

The visitors took their lead into the break, and extended it in the 51st minute when Luke Martin bundled the ball home from a poorly-defended corner. However, Leverstock got themselves back into the game within two minutes, as Dan Pett exchanged passes with Sekyere before slotting past Hopwood to reduce the arrears to 3-2.

Leverstock pressed for an equaliser, with Stefanoaica going on a solo run into the box before having his shot turned wide by Hopwood on 62 minutes, and two minutes later heading over the bar from a Rolfe cross. The visitors were then reduced to ten men. Reeves had been yellow-carded for a blatant dive in the box on 58 minutes, and six minutes later received a second yellow for delaying a restart.

The game was played almost entirely in the Aylesbury half from this point. Norville came off the bench for his debut in the 69th minute, and a minute later another chance was missed as Sekyere headed wide from a Stefanoaica cross. Finally in the 80th minute Leverstock got the equaliser their pressure deserved. Pett’s pass set up a chance for Norville, and the youngster produced a neat finish from a narrow angle to make the score 3-3.

Over the remaining minutes there was a series of corners, crosses and goalmouth scrambles, but the ball would not go in the net for Leverstock. Sekyere and Stefanoaica both missed clear chances from close range and the Aylesbury defence also produced a couple of goal-line clearances. Assistant manager Scott McGleish brought himself off the bench to make an extra target for a last-gasp free kick, but again the ball would not go in.

Leverstock Green (1) 3 (Sekyere 6 pen, Pett 53, Norville 80)
1. Harry Way, 2. Callum Neal, 3. Lewis Rolfe, 4. Thomas Georgiou, 18. Tommy Boxer (14. John Gyabaah 78 mins) 6. Nat Connolly (16. Jael Norville 69 mins), 7. Radu-Mihai Stefanoaica, 8. Dan Pett, 9. Jeffrey Sekyere, 10. Marcus Warren (20. Scott McGleish 90+4 mins), 11. Iker Noguera Leon. Sub not used: 12. Josh Dooley, 16. Juan Pablo Velasco.
Aylesbury United (2) 3 (French 15, Reeves 26, Martin 51)
1. Jack Hopwood, 2. Lee Stobbs, 3. Jake Bewley, 4. Jack Wood, 5. Luke Martin, 6. Sonny French, 7. Ayo Akinbobola (16. Liam Batchelor-Morgan 80 mins), 8. Fabian Garcia, 9. Benji Kakembo (12. Abdullah Jellal 53 mins), 10. Rocko Tamplin, 11. Finlay Reeves. Subs not used: 13. Tom Alexander, 14. Remel Larwood, 15. Ben Peters.