League: SSML Premier Division

Leverstock Green FC got back to winning ways with a hard-fought win against Arlesey Town in Tuesday night’s SSML Premier Division game. As in the first game against Arlesey back in January, Leverstock had to come from behind to get their win.

It was a game of few clear-cut chances for either side. After an even opening to the game, it was Arlesey who took the lead in the 24th minute. Leverstock were caught on the break after giving the ball away, and as Rory Busby chased a ball forward, Josh Bowler came out to intercept, but slipped in the muddy goalmouth. That gave Busby the chance to get to the ball first, and with Bowler stranded, Busby was able to chip the ball over him and find the net.

It was a frustrating half for Leverstock Green FC, who were struggling to put together any passing moves, but they got back on level terms in the 36th minute. A cross from the right found Lewis Collins, who laid the ball back to find Ryan Carruthers just outside the box, and Carruthers took a touch before striking a fierce shot that flew past keeper Ollie Skinner for the equaliser.

Half time was reached with the scores level from the only two efforts on target in the half. Leverstock Green FC got their noses in front in the 54th minute with a scrambled goal from a corner. Nat Connolly’s cross found Josh Dooley, whose header was blocked, and Luke Beckwith forced the loose ball home. The second half was as short on chances as the first, with a shot from Rio Beach being tipped over the bar by Skinner in the 66th minute.

Guiseppe Delgaudio came off the bench in the 73rd minute to mark his return to the club he last played for in 2020, having played at Tring in the interim, and there was also a first team debut off the bench for promising Development Team player Schilo Mateta Kanda. Bowler had to deal with an awkward low shot from Bowler in the 88th minute, but the Leverstock defence held firm and there was no repeat of Saturday’s last-gasp disappointment as the Green side held out for the 2-1 win and three more points to boost their play-off bid.

Leverstock Green FC (1) 2 (Carruthers 36, Beckwith 54)
1. Josh Bowler, 2. Brad Robinson, 3. Rio Beach, 4. Dan Weeks, 5. Josh Dooley, 6. Ademide Baruwa, 7. Luke Beckwith (14. Schilo Mateta Kanda 90 mins), 8. Ryan Carruthers (15. Paul Marks 83 mins), 9. Rawn Seale, 10. Nat Connolly, 11. Lewis Collins (12. Guiseppe Delgaudio 73 mins). Subs not used: 16. Callum Moore, 19. Scott McGleish.
Arlesey Town FC (1) 1 (Busby 24)
1. Ollie Skinner, 2. Matt Gilbert, 3. Tommy Cooney, 4. Alex Taylor, 5. Steve Sylvester, 6. Isaaq Araba, 7. Eddie Carrington, 8. Montel Brown (12. Joe Abe 60 mins), 9. Rory Busby, 10. Noah Mosanya, 11. Tommy Blennerhassett (16. Bruno Brito 68 mins). Subs not used: 14. Euan Howe, 15. Brandon Beaman, 17. Zach Guafi.

Leverstock Green were seconds away from collecting another three points, but a scrambled equaliser with the last kick of the game meant they had to settle for a point against Crawley Green. It was a point that the visitors probably deserved with a strong second half display after a first half in which Leverstock were only prevented from establishing a handsome lead by their former goalkeeper Adi Connolly in the Crawley goal. Leverstock were without leading scorer Radu-Mihai Stefanoaica, who was serving the first of a two-game suspension for reaching ten bookings for the season.

Leverstock put pressure on the visitors’ goal early, with Paul Marks going close in the fourth minute, heading into the side netting from Luke Beckwith’s cross. Two minutes later Leverstock had the lead. Nat Connolly laid a pass across the box to Ademide Baruwa, who struck home a fierce shot to score his first ever goal for the club.

The 1-0 lead should have been extended as Leverstock created a host of chances. In the 12th minute a pass from Rawn Seale put Beckwith through on goal, but his shot was way off target, going out for a throw-in. Four minutes later pressure from Seale forced keeper Connolly into an error as he played the ball straight out to Beckwith, but recovered to get a boot to Beckwith’s shot and deflect it wide.

In the 24th minute Beckwith was through again, but was blocked. Nat Connolly picked up the loose ball and continued through on goal, only to be denied by his namesake in goal. Three minutes later a long kick from Leverstock keeper Josh Bowler put Beckwith in behind the defence again, but again he was denied in a one-on-one situation by a save from Connolly. Three minutes before half time there was a warning that Leverstock may rue those missed chances as Joe Hankins was through for Crawley but was denied by a good save from Bowler.

Leverstock started the second half with just the single-goal lead, and the visitors made the most of attacking down the slope in the second half. In the opening minutes of the half they forced a series of corners which Leverstock did well to defend. However, in the 55th minute they paid the price for giving the ball away on the halfway line. A pass down the right put Jake Cowley in behind Mikey Havill-Tierney, and Cowley raced on towards the Leverstock goal before picking his spot and driving a shot into the corner of the net to level the scores.

Six minutes later Crawley might have gone in front as a cross found Dan Trif with lots of space on the left side of the penalty area, but Bowler produced a great save to turn his shot round the post. That proved important as Leverstock retook the lead in the 72nd minute. Rio Beach got to the bye-line and delivered a cross which Lewis Collins kept alive. The ball dropped for Baruwa, who aimed a dipping shot towards the top corner of the net which went in off the post for his second goal of the game.

Baruwa could have completed a hat-trick in the 82nd minute but again it was great goalkeeping by Connolly that kept his shot out. Crawley kept pushing for an equaliser as the game went into stoppage time, but Leverstock kept them out until the final seconds where they were unable to clear the ball adequately from a goalmouth scramble. Eventually the ball was forced home from a yard out by Cameron Kengne to level the scores, and with the final whistle going immediately after the restart, Leverstock were left deflated at the loss of two crucial points in their play-off push.

Leverstock Green (1) 2 (Baruwa 6, 72)
1. Josh Bowler, 2. Mike Havill-Tierney, 3. Rio Beach, 4. Dan Weeks, 5. Paul Marks, 6. Ademide Baruwa, 7. Luke Beckwith (12. Ryan Carruthers 84 mins), 8. Dan Pett, 9. Rawn Seale, 10. Nat Connolly, 11. Ethan Mooney (14. Lewis Collins 69 mins). Subs not used: 15. Josh Dooley, 16. Brad Robinson, 19. Scott McGleish.
Crawley Green (0) 2 (Cowley 55, Kengne 90+5)
1. Adi Connolly, 2. Taylor Keely, 3. Dan Trif, 4. Caden Barber, 5. Adoyin Sanni, 6. Kian Wilkes (12. Josh Pearson 54 mins), 7. Jake Cowley, 8. Jimmy Doherty, 9. Joe Hankins, 10. Franklin Ojumobi (17. Cameron Kengne 79 mins), 11. Terry Offeh. Subs not used: 14. Trevor Nkata, 15. Joe Brinded, 16. Martin Kirov.