Match Report

Leverstock Green progressed to the second round of the Herts Senior Cup after a penalty shoot-out victory over local rivals Tring Athletic in Tuesday night’s first round tie. Leverstock created enough chances to win the game in normal time, but a late Tring equaliser sent the tie into penalties.

Leverstock made a bright start with Timi Bada looking particularly lively, in the third minute he put a ball across goal that Jack Allen just failed to connect with. In the 6th minute Ryan Carruthers had an effort from distance which went just wide, and four minutes later Nat Connolly shot over the bar after Callum Neal’s shot had been parried. In the 20th minute Neal headed straight at the keeper from a Bada cross.

Tring started to come more into the game, and Ryan North had to tip a shot from Blake Argent over the bar in the 23rd minute. Allen was unlucky in the 35th minute when his shot was turned onto the post by the keeper, and Bada went on a solo run in the 39th minute but couldn’t put the ball past the keeper. Eventually in the last minute of the half a long throw from George Mitchell-Gears caused a scramble in the Tring box and Allen volleyed home from close range to put Leverstock in front.

Tring could have levelled in the 50th minute when Harry Shepherd broke away on a solo run but his shot went across goal and wide, and Neal was just wide for Leverstock with an effort in the 62nd minute. Tring made a quadruple substitution midway through the half, bringing on some of their bigger guns who had been rested from the start, and eventually Leverstock were made to pay for having not taken their earlier chances. In the 83rd minute a free kick from the right touchline caused a scramble in the Leverstock box and Caden Barber put the ball away for the equaliser.

Either side might have won the tie in the remaining minutes, with Joe McCarthy having a shot well saved by the keeper, but the score remained unchanged and the game went to penalties. Allen scored Leverstock’s first kick, and North turned George Devine’s kick over the bar to give the Green side the early advantage. Ademide Baruwa, Iker Noguera Leon and George Mitchell-Gears were all successful for Leverstock before Barber blazed Tring’s fourth kick over the bar to put Leverstock through 4-2 on penalties.

Leverstock Green (1) 1 (Allen 45)
1. Ryan North, 2. Callum Neal (16. Aldo Petagine 75 mins), 3. Vladyslav Karuchok, 4. George Mitchell-Gears, 5. Kombe Kawimbe, 6. Ryan Carruthers, 7. Timi Bada (15. Joe McCarthy 82 mins), 8. Marcus Warren, 9. Jack Allen, 10. Nat Connolly (12. Ademide Baruwa 82 mins), 11. Iker Noguera Leon. Subs not used: 14. Callum Donnelly, 17. Dan Pett.
Tring Athletic (0) 1 (Barber 83)
1. Jake Alley, 2. Caden Barber, 8. Jack Harvey (9. George Devine 66 mins), 10. Blake Argent (17. Elijah Hearn 81 mins), 11. Harry Jones (7. Max Hercules 66 mins), 12. Jimmy Doherty, 14. Dylan Fitzpatrick (6. Luke Peerless 66 mins), 18. Mason Clarke, 20. Harry Shepherd (5. Frankie Hercules 66 mins), 21. Michael Olulode, 24. Jack Stone.

Leverstock Green win 4-2 on penalties.