Match Report

Leverstock Green opened up a three-point gap between themselves and the relegation zone with a crucial 2-1 win over Welwyn Garden City in Tuesday night’s Southern League Division One Central fixture. It was another nervous finish for the Leverstock faithful as the visitors pulled a goal back late in the game, but this time there was to be no last-gasp equaliser.

Leverstock could have opened the scoring in the 12th minute when a pass from Jeffrey Sekyere put Joe McCarthy through on goal, but Welwyn keeper Lamar Johnson came off his line to save with his legs. They only had to wait another minute for their goal, though. George Mitchell-Gears’ crossfield pass found Radu-Mihai Stefanoaica with space to run at goal, and Stefanoaica drilled a shot home from the edge of the box into the corner of the net for his first goal of the season.

Welwyn though they had equalised five minutes later with a header from a corner, but the referee disallowed it for a foul on Leverstock keeper Ashton Broome-Alexander. In the 22nd minute Broome-Alexander saved well from a Remel Larwood shot, and in the 33rd minute Broome-Alexander batted the ball away after a long throw had been flicked on across goal. A minute later Leverstock doubled their lead. Carmicheal Uchenna went on a run into the Welwyn half and played a one-two with Stefanoaica before hitting a shot from the edge of the box towards the bottom corner of the net. It wasn’t the hardest shot but Johnson couldn’t get to it and the ball went in off the post as Uchenna scored his first goal for the club.

There should have been a third goal in first half stoppage time. McCarthy was through again, Johnson saved again and the rebound fell for Stefanoaica, but he didn’t get his shot away quickly enough and the chance went away.

The second half saw Leverstock defending the slope and coming under heavy pressure from the visitors, but they were not able to create much in the way of clear-cut chances. Leverstock occasionally threatened on the break, and came closest to scoring in the 59th minute when Stefanoaica went on another run, kept the ball after a challenge and squared it across goal, but it was just behind the incoming McCarthy.

Leverstock were still holding onto their two-goal lead towards the end of the game, but in the 86th minute a free kick was given away in a dangerous position. The ball was delivered into the box and Evaristo Mendes applied the finishing touch to pull a goal back. Leverstock supporters then had to face the prospect of five minutes of stoppage time during which Welwyn continued to pump the ball forward, but this time the Green side were able to see the game out and claim the three points from an excellent and very hard-working performance.

Leverstock Green (2) 2 (Stefanoaica 13, Uchenna 34)
1. Ashton Broome-Alexander, 2. Kombe Kawimbe, 3. Rio Beach, 4. Dan Pett, 5. Olusegun Adedipe, 6. Carmicheal Uchenna (12. Dan Casey 87 mins), 7. Joe Mccarthy (16. Jamal Yates 79 mins), 8. George Mitchell-Gears (15. Aldo Petagine 79 mins), 9. Jeffrey Sekyere, 10. Marcus Warren, 11. Radu-Mihai Stefanoaica (18. Jack Allen 64 mins). Sub not used: 14. George Eldridge.
Welwyn Garden City (0) 1 (Mendes 86)
1. Lamar Johnson, 2. Adam Pollock, 3. Layne Eadie, 4. Jack Green, 5. Aiden Read (15. Evaristo Mendes H/T), 6. Panny Boxer, 7. Remel Larwood (12. Ethan Rookard 59 mins), 8. Isaac Pedro, 9. Steve Cawley, 10. Eddie Corbit, 14. Lewis Taaffe. Sub not used: 17. Donny Green.