Leverstock Green were left wondering just what they have to do to register a goal after a terrific performance against Oxhey Jets. The Green side were probably the better side in the game, but hit the woodwork twice, had other chances saved, and were denied a last-gasp equaliser by an offside flag as they yet again came away with nothing.

It was the first game for Leverstock since the passing of chairman and match secretary Graham Smart, and a minute’s silence was observed before the match.

With just two minutes played Leverstock went close to taking the lead. Reece Cameron’s cross found Toby Syme at the far post, and Syme’s first time shot struck the post. At the other end in the 6th minute Gary Wallace headed over the bar from a corner and two minutes later Ryan Schmid saved a shot from George Hobson.

The game continued to go from end-to-end. In the 12th minute Jamie Fulton was robbed by Andrew Brennan, who ran through but shot over the bar. Seconds later Leverstock went close when Kane O’Neil squared for Luis Brooker, whose shot was saved by former Green keeper Matt Evans. From the resulting corner, Ethan Flanagan headed wide. There was another chance on 26 minutes when Deandre Blake threaded a pass to Syme, but Evans came out and smothered Syme’s shot.

In the 37th minute Schmid produced another great save to keep out a shot from Hobson, but seconds later Oxhey were awarded a penalty when Tom Gibson was brought down in the box. Hobson stepped up to take the spot kick, but hit it down the middle and Schmid was able to deflect it over the bar with his trailing leg.

The second half started with the game still goalless, and again Leverstock started well. In the opening minute Cameron pushed forward and played it through to Brooker, who cut inside on the edge of the box but had his shot blocked. A minute later a great pass from Fulton put Blake in on goal but he shot over.

The game was still evenly poised, but in the 71st minute the home side made the breakthrough when two substitutes combined to open the scoring. Nick Kelly’s pass put Sean Giordmaina through to shoot past Schmid.

The Green side continued to push forward in search of an equaliser. They were denied again three minutes later when Cameron’s cross-cum-chip from a narrow angle was deflected wide by Evans’ outstretched arm. On 76 minutes there was an goalmouth scramble after a free kick had been played into the box. Shane Wood’s backheel from the edge of the six-yard box was saved by Evans, and from the rebound Lewis Collins hit a shot from the edge of the box which took a deflection, but Evans somehow managed to get a hand to it to tip it onto the post. Even then the ball rebounded back across the face of goal but nobody could apply the finishing touch.

A double save from Schmid in the 83rd minute kept Leverstock in the game, and they continued to apply the pressure as the game went into the closing minutes. They were denied what looked like a clear penalty when Collins was brought down in the box. As the game went into stoppage time Schmid came up for a couple of corners but still the ball couldn’t be forced home. In the fifth minute of stoppage time Leverstock looked to have the equaliser as Cameron was put clean through and lifted his shot over Evans. The ball was heading into the net, but Blake followed in to make sure, only to be flagged for offside as Leverstock were denied an equaliser they certainly deserved in the most agonising fashion.

The two sides meet again on Tuesday night, this time at Pancake Lane in the semi-finals of the St Mary’s Cup.

Below video highlights filmed by Dave G. Mason of Oxhey Jets.

Leverstock Green added another three points to their total with a 4-1 win from an excellent performance at Oxhey Jets in Saturday’s SSML Premier Division game at the Boundary Stadium.

The Green side made a good start to the game and went close in the 3rd minute when Jonathan Lacey got a glancing header to Casey Linsell’s cross, but it drifted just wide of the far post. A minute later Lacey robbed Oxhey skipper Sim Armstrong and played a pass through to Nick Jackson, but Jackson put his effort across goal.

Having started the game so well, it was somewhat against the run of play when Oxhey took the lead in the fifth minute from their first attack. Two of their five former Green players combined to score, as Curtis Donaldson floated a free kick to the far post where Lewis Smith headed home in off the bar.

Leverstock went close to equalising within a minute as a shot from Lacey was turned round the post by home keeper Ryan Keeley, and three minutes later Jackson’s pass put Lacey through again, but again his shot was deflected wide of the post. Finally in the 13th minute Chris Marsh played a superb pass to put Jackson through on goal, and Jackson made no mistake this time, lifting the ball over Keeley for the deserved equaliser.

Oxhey had a good chance to go back in front three minutes later when a crossfield ball put Patru Marius-Cosmin through on goal, but Green keeper Matt Evans did well to save with his legs. In the 20th minute Donaldson played in another free kick which Lewis Smith got his head to again, but this time Evans saved.

Leverstock had another great chance in the 32nd minute. Jackson won the ball near the left touchline and threaded a pass through to Lacey, whose shot was blocked by Keeley. The rebound fell nicely for Brima Johnson six yards out but his sidefooted shot went inches wide of the post. Five minutes later Evans produced the save of the match as Donaldson hit a shot from long range which took a huge deflection, but Evans did very well to dive full-length and turn it onto the post. Evans made further saves in the last minute of the half from Elijah Seymour and Chris Blunden as an end-to-end half finished with the scores level at 1-1.

Three minutes into the second half Leverstock went in front for the first time. Chris Marsh floated in a free kick which Nick Jackson got his head to, and Jackson’s header took a looping trajectory into the very top corner of the net, out of Keeley’s reach for a 2-1 lead.

Oxhey came close to an equaliser a couple of times, with Donaldson heading over the bar from Seymour’s free kick on 55 minutes and Abhushan Part shooting inches wide two minutes later. However, Leverstock opened up a two-goal lead with the crucial third goal in the 64th minute. Jonathan Lacey went on a dazzling solo run, showing great footwook to take him past two defenders and into the box. Lacey’s shot was saved by Keeley, but substitute Luke Nugent was following up and slid in to net the rebound.

In the 78th minute Nugent returned the favour, playing a pass which set up Lacey to make another mazy run into the box, and this time he emphatically lashed a shot past Keeley for a superb fourth goal. Evans made another couple of saves in the closing minutes to preserve the three goal lead as Leverstock ran out convincing 4-1 winners.

There were several outstanding performances today, including Jackson and the returning Chris Gosling, but man-of-the-match went to Lacey.