Bell Close

Leighton Town F.C.
Bell Close, Lake St, Leighton Buzzard, Bedford LU7 1RX.

(A) Leighton Town

Leverstock Green came away from their visit to Leighton Town with a second straight 2-0 defeat, but it was an excellent performance against the in-form league leaders, and a competitive encounter.

Leverstock were without top scorer Jeffrey Sekyere and central defender Olusegun Adedipe due to injury, and started with a 5-4-1 formation intended to contain the Leighton side. It worked well initially, with the home side having few chances in the early stages other than a chance in front of goal for BJ Christie in the 4th minute that was blocked by Rio Beach.

Ryan Carruthers had Leverstock’s best effort at goal with a shot from the edge of the box which went just wide in the 13th minute. However in the 17th minute Sydney Ibie got on the wrong side of Dan Casey, and when Casey pulled back the Leighton striker, it was a simple decision for the referee to award a penalty. Ibie took the kick himself, but it was kept out by a brilliant save from Ashton Broome-Alexander. However, the pressure continued. The resulting corner was blocked wide for another corner, and this one found Ibie at the far post to head back across goal for Sam McClelland to net from close range.

There was still only a single goal in it at half time, and the second half was equally competitive. In the 50th minute Ibie got through on goal but was denied again by a superb save from Broome-Alexander. Godlove Oppong almost added a second goal in the 65th minute but his shot from a narrow angle hit the post. A minute later at the other end Carruthers made a run into the box. His shot was blocked and looped up to George Mitchell-Gears, whose header was deflected wide by a defender.

Leverstock were still in the game as it went into stoppage time, but a second goal in the third added minute put it out of their reach. Again it came from a corner as Oppong bundled home from close range.

Leighton Town (1) 2 (McClelland 18, Oppong 90+3)
1. Daniel Hosier, 2. Kyal Williams (12. Pap Jawara 86 mins), 3. Tolu Ikuyinminu, 4.Luke Pyman, 5. Sam McClelland, 6. Lewis Thorpe, 7. Leo Farruch (16. Louie Barrett 90 mins), 8. Jack Sayell (14. J’Ardell Stirling 60 mins), 9. Sydney Ibie, 10. Godlove Oppong, 11. BJ Christie (17. Charlie Pattison 60 mins). Sub not used: 15. Daniel Tagoe.
Leverstock Green (0) 0
1. Ashton Broome-Alexander, 2. Ademide Baruwa, 3. Rio Beach, 4. Dan Pett, 5. Kombe Kawimbe, 6. Dan Casey (12. Iker Noguera Leon 58 mins), 7. Ryan Carruthers (15. Marcus Warren 70 mins), 8. Nat Connolly (14. Radu-Mihai Stefanoaica 48 mins), 19. Jack Allen, 10, George Mitchell-Gears, 11. Carmicheal Uchenna. Sub not used: 16. Callum Donnelly.

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(A) Leighton Town

Leverstock Green continue to make progress a point at a time in the Southern League Division One Central. Saturday’s goalless draw at Leighton Town was their fourth draw in the last six games, and their 11th overall in 26 league games. This was a well-earned point, with a determined and disciplined team performance throughout, and for the second game running goalkeeper Ryan North earned the MOM award for a series of superb saves that kept his side in the game.

Leverstock are still suffering an injury crisis, with several key players missing, but there was a return to the side today for Jamie Breen, who gave an impressive display down the left and caused a lot of problems for the Leighton defence before being withdrawn after an hour.

North had to make his first save just ten seconds into the game, going down low to block a shot on the goalline. There was a good chance for Leighton in the 19th minute when Godlove Oppong was put through, but hit his shot across goal and wide. There was a flurry of chances towards the end of the first half. In the 35th minute Ademide Baruwa got on the end of a cross from Luke Beckwith but couldn’t keep his header on target. Two minutes later Leighton had a corner, and Tolu Ikuyinminu hit the near post direct from the corner. There was another chance for Baruwa in the 38th minute was a pass from Kyle Connolly put him through, but his shot went into the side netting.

In the 42nd minute there was another good chance for Leighton when a cross found Charlie Pattison at the far post, but he headed wide. Leverstock had their best chance of the game in the last minute of the half. Neither Lucas Georgiou nor Kyle Connolly were able to get a shot away from a good position inside the box, but the ball went back to Dan Pett, whose shot towards the top corner veered away at the last moment and skimmed the outside of the post.

Leighton were on top for most of the second half, but again the Leverstock side showed great resiliance to keep them out. North made a brilliant save to turn away a header from Kyal Williams in the 51st minute, and kept out a shot from Williams a minute later. In the 70th minute a poor kick from North went straight to Samuel King, who had a run at goal but North redeemed himself by keeping out King’s shot. Two minutes later North saved again to turn away a free kick from Williams. In the 79th minute Marcus Warren headed off the line from a Leighton corner.

Leighton piled on the pressure over the closing minutes with a series of corners, even hitting the bar at one point, but they could not put the ball in the net and the Leverstock side held out to claim a point.

Leighton Town 0
1. George Rose, 2. Anthony Ball, 3. Tolu Ikuyinminu, 4. Luke Pyman, 5. Lewis Thorpe (14. Luke Tingey 28 mins), 6. Sam McClelland, 7. Kyal Williams, 8. Charlie Pattison, 9. Lynton Goss, 10. Godlove Oppong, 11. Samuel King. Subs not used: 12. Ben Farrell, 15. Finley Jaggard, 16. Emmanuel Dahle.
Leverstock Green 0
1. Ryan North, 2. Lucas Georgiou, 3. Jamie Breen (16. Marcus Warren 61 mins), 4. Dan Weeks, 5. Gary Connolly, 6. Ryan Carruthers, 7. Kyle Connolly, 8. Dan Pett, 9. Guiseppe Delgaudio, 10. Luke Beckwith (14. Keanu Fleming 79 mins), 11. Ademide Baruwa. Subs not used: 12. Jose Costa, 15. Oliwier Fusiek, 19. Scott McGleish.

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(A) Leighton Town U18

The under-18s began their campaign in the Southern Counties Floodlit Youth League Corinthian Division on Thursday with an away game at Leighton Town. Leighton led 3-1 at half time, but after an improved performance from the Leverstock team in the second half, the final score was 4-1. Leverstock’s goal was scored by Luc Dischamps, while all four of Leighton’s goals were scored by Finlay Jaggard.

Starting XI:
Sam Bignell
Neo Mitchell
Levi Young
Oscar Martin
Shay Kelly
Kunashe Sithole
Joe Sadler
Thomas Rutherford
Archie Roberts
Callum Moore
Stanley Kenyon

Subs (all used):
James Renton
Luc Dischamps
Elijah Acheampong
George Long
Callum Maloney

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(A) Leighton Town

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(A) Leighton Town

Leverstock Green travelled to meet one of the favourites for the SSML Premier Division title, and came away with a well-deserved point from what was an excellent game of football against Leighton Town. Leverstock lost both their centre-backs during the game but still successfully held off the threat from the Leighton side.

With his squad hit by injuries and suspensions, Fergus Moore brought two new signings into the side for this game – centre back Kraig McLeod, previously with Enfield Town and winger Brian Testolin, on loan from Hadley. The home side attacked straight from the kickoff and had the ball in the Leverstock six-yard box within the opening 20 seconds, but it was scarmbled away. At the other end in the 3rd minute Testolin got on the end of a ball from Chris Blunden and hit a shot which brought a save out of home keeper Xavi Comas.

There was a controversial moment in the 6th minute when Comas appeared to handle the ball well outside the area to keep out a lob from Ethan Mooney, but nothing was given. Leighton took the lead in the 12th minute from a corner. Kyle Connolly crossed to the far post where Reece Robins had a free header into the opposite corner of the net.

Five minutes later Leverstock had a great chance to equalise on the break when Blunden burst clean through, but Comas produced a superb save to tip his shot over the bar. There was another great save ten minutes later, this time from Leverstock keeper Austin Byfield. A ball down the left put the division’s top scorer Leon Lobjoit clean through, but Byfield’s outstretched arm somehow turned away Lobjoit’s attempted chip.

Leverstock lost the first of their centre-backs when Alvin Kyeremeh had to go off injured in the 31st minute, to be replaced by Scott McGleish. Four minutes later Byfield pulled off another superb save to turn a shot from Robins round the post. That save proved to be crucial. From the resulting corner Leverstock broke away. Testolin had a run at goal and hit a low shot which Comas could only parry, and Mooney followed in to net the loose ball and level the scores at 1-1.

Half time saw another change as the other centre-back McLeod was too ill to continue. George Mitchell-Gears came on in his place, with skipper Dan Pett dropping back to fill the centre-back position.

The second half saw fewer chances than the first, and it was Leverstock who had the better of those chances. In the 63rd minute Blunden was just wide with a free kick from distance. On 71 minutes Testolin had the ball in the net from a Ryan Carruthers free kick but it was ruled out for handball. Three minutes later Testolin became the third forced substitution of the game as he had to be carried off injured to be replaced by Lewis Collins.

The nearest miss of all was in the 81st minute when Mitchell-Gears headed inches wide from a Carruthers cross. At the other end, Leighton did not bring a save out of Byfield throughout the half, with the keeper only having to catch routine crosses. The only sour note for Leverstock was the dismissal of Fergus Moore by the referee for kicking a ball away in frustration. But there is no doubt that the point they earned was the least they deserved from this game.

Leighton Town (1) 1 (Robins 12)
1. Xavi Comas, 2. Matt Cooper, 3. Kyle Connolly, 4. Gary Connolly, 5. Max Farrelly (14. Oran Jackson H/T), 6. Luke Pyman, 7. Jack Harvey (12. Will Summerfield 58 mins), 8. Ben Spaul, 9. Kieran Turner (15. James Towell 66 mins), 10. Leon Lobjoit, 11. Reece Robins. Subs not used: 16. Archie McClelland, 17. Joe Fitzgerald.
Leverstock Green (1) 1 (Mooney 36)
1. Austin Byfield, 2. Adrian Pitfield, 3. Rio Beach, 4. Alvin Kyeremeh (20. Scott McGleish 31 mins), 5. Kraig McLeod (14. George Mitchell-Gears H/T), 6. Ibrahim Nagheeb, 7. Brian Testolin (12. Lewis Collins 74 mins), 8. Dan Pett, 9. Chris Blunden, 10. Ryan Carruthers, 11. Ethan Mooney. Subs not used: 15. Kurainashe Musanhi, 16. Oran Swales.

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(A) Leighton Town

Leverstock Green scored a late equaliser to rescue a well-deserved point from Tuesday night’s trip to Leighton Town. It was the second game in charge of Leighton for former Green skipper Lee Bircham, and there were some familiar faces on the pitch for Leighton as well.

Leverstock had the ball in the net with only a minute played, but Rawn Seale’s celebrations were cut short by the offside flag. In the 18th minute Leighton were almost gifted a goal as Scott McGleish’s header back to Alfie Bonfield was intercepted, but the resulting shot went wide. Five minutes later a slip from Ollie Cox let Lewis Toomey through to take the ball past Bonfield, but McGleish was there to clear the shot off the line.

Leighton went close again in the 26th minute when Duncan Culley shot over the bar from a narrow angle after a slick passing move. On 36 minutes the action was at the other end as Seale took the ball round home keeper Connor Coulson, but his shot from a narrow angle was cleared from the six yard box. Two minutes later some great footwork from Seale created a shooting opportunity from the edge of the box, but Coulson produced a great save to turn the shot away.

The game was still goalless at half time, and early in the second half Leverstock were forced into the first of three changes as McGleish was replaced by Paul Marks. Leighton put the Green goal under pressure in the early stages of the half. Bonfield produced a good save in the 48th minute to turn a shot round the post, but the home side took the lead in the 53rd minute when former Green player Bill Morgan came in at the far post to head home a corner.

Skipper Dan Weeks was forced off with an injury to be replaced by Jack Allen just before the hour, and Elgeniy Daalberg replaced Ryan Carruthers soon after. There were few chances for either side as the game moved into the last ten minutes with Leighton still a goal up. On 82 minutes Leverstock had a chance when they were awarded a free kick just outside the box, but Rio Beach’s effort flew just over the bar. However, a minute later a ball from the back put Seale clean through. Coulson came off his line, but Seale chipped the ball over him, then ran on to meet the bouncing ball and apply the final touch to put it into the net for the equaliser.

A point was the least that Fergus Moore’s side deserved for a very solid performance against a top four side, and they face another of the top sides on Saturday when Risborough Rangers are the visitors to Pancake Lane.

Leighton Town (0) 1 (Morgan 53)
Team: 1. Connor Coulson, 2. Joe Fitzgerald, 3. Tom Bryant, 4. Brian Foulger, 5. Bill Morgan, 6. Luke Pyman, 7. Ross Adams, 8. Alfie Osborne, 9. Duncan Culley, 10. Lewis Toomey, 11. Ashton Campbell. Subs used: 14. Frankie Bircham, 15. Josh Hatton, 16. George Kerr. Subs not used: 17. Freddie Heeps, 18. Abu Khan.
Leverstock Green (0) 1 (Seale 83)
Team: 1. Alfie Bonfield, 2. Ollie Cox, 3. Rio Beach, 4. Dan Weeks (12. Jack Allen 59 mins), 18. Scott McGleish (16. Paul Marks 50 mins), 6. Kian Wilkes, 7. Ethan Mooney, 8. Ryan Carruthers (15. Elgeniy Daalberg 65 mins), 9. Rawn Seale, 10. Sean Walsh, 11. Nagheeb Ibrahim. Subs not used: 14. Lewis Collins, 17. Brad Robinson.

 

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(A) Leighton Town

The under-18s were beaten 4-2 at Leighton Town in Thursday night’s SCFYL Corinthian Division game. The goalscorers were Dan Payne and Charlie Dale.

Fixture details on Full Time

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