Match Report

Leverstock Green continue to look for their first league win of the season, but they put in a very good performance against one of the promotion favourites and were leading at half time before Waltham Abbey came back to win the game late on.

The Leverstock side was boosted by the welcome return of Iker Noguera Leon, the club’s second highest scorer last season. Carmicheal Uchenna had a promising run at goal in the 6th minute, but his run was ended by a foul challenge by Aiden Read that earned the home player a yellow card. Read had Waltham Abbey’s first serious effort at goal with a shot from the edge of the box that went just over the bar in the 18th minute. The play then switched to the other end where Uchenna had another run at goal but shot over the bar.

Ryan North was brought into action for the first time in the 26th minute, saving a shot from Benjamin Baker at his near post. In the 38th minute Callum Neal chased down a ball that looked like it was going out for a free kick, keeping it in play before getting past a defender and heading into the box, where that same defender pulled him down. The referee pointed to the penalty spot, and Jack Allen netted the spot kick to put Leverstock into a 1-0 lead.

The second half saw the home side on top with long spells of pressure on the Leverstock goal. In the 53rd minute North pulled off a great save from a close range shot, and seconds later Callum Taylor hit a deflected shot from the edge of the box which went wide. From the resulting corner Waltham Abbey had the ball in the net but it was disallowed for a foul on North.

The home side were given a chance to level the scores in the 60th minute when Steve Cawley was adjudged to have been pushed over in the box. Prince William took the resulting penalty and levelled the scores at 1-1.

A similar push on Allen inside the Waltham Abbey box later went unpunished as Leverstock fought back. They looked to have steadied the ship and were holding their own until the 80th minute. Leverstock were temporarily down to 10 men as Uchenna was waiting for the mandatory minute to elapse after receiving treatment, and the home side took advantage as Taylor netted the ball at the far post from a corner.

The proved enough for the home side to win the match although there were plenty of positives for the Leverstock side to take out of this one.

Waltham Abbey (0) 2 (William 60 pen, Taylor 80)
1. Bradley Robinson, 2. Sam Robbins, 3. Charley Barker, 4. Lewis Knight, 5. Aiden Read, 6. Callum Taylor, 7. Benjamin Baker (12. Max Appauh H/T), 9. Bailey Stevenson (15. Isaac Pedro 54 mins), 10. Carlos Velasco, 11. Prince William, 17. Steve Cawley. Subs not used: 13. Donny Green,8. Kaya Hayrettin, 16. Tyler Forbes.
Leverstock Green (1) 1 (Allen 38 pen)
1. Ryan North, 2. Callum Neal (17. Joe McCarthy 82 mins), 3. Vladyslav Karuchok, 4. Dan Pett, 5. Kombe Kawimbe, 6. George Mitchell-Gears, 7. Ademide Baruwa (12. Ryan Carruthers 69 mins), 8. Carmicheal Uchenna (14. Nat Connolly 85 mins), 9. Jack Allen (16. Enoch Folorunsho 88 mins), 10. Marcus Warren (15. Ashton Corder 88 mins), 11. Iker Noguera Leon.