Broadwater

Berkhamsted F.C.

Broadwater,
Lower Kings Road,
Berkhamsted
HP4 2AL

(A) Berkhamsted

Leverstock Green put up a valiant display against promotion-chasing neighbours Berkhamsted, but came away empty-handed after a single goal in the second half won the game for the home side.

It was a tight game of few chances. The game’s first effort on goal came in the 24th minute, and Alfie Bonfield pulled off a great save to keep out a shot from former Green player Jonathan Lacey. Seven minutes later it was another former Green player in focus as Berko keeper Josh Bowler pulled off a superb save to tip a volley from Rawn Seale over the bar. In first half stoppage time Bonfield saved again, keeping out a low shot from Rayan Clarke.

The second half saw similarly few clear-cut chances. Bonfield comfortably saved a shot from Lacey in the 49th minute, and Ben Walster had an effort from a Berko free kick in the 59th minute which went wide. However, in the 65th minute the game turned in an instant as a long kick from Bowler was flicked on to put substitute Louie Collier through on goal, and Collier slotted the ball past Bonfield to put Berko into the lead.

Leverstock pushed forward for an equaliser, but were unable to seriously trouble Bowler in the remaining minutes.

Berkhamsted (0) 1 (Collier 65)
1. Josh Bowler, 2. Jack Tompkins, 3. Ben Walster, 4. Jordon Frederick (16. Simeon Olarerin 85 mins), 5. Max Rosner, 6. Dan Newton, 7. Roger James (12. Louie Collier 58 mins), 8. Adam Watkins, 9. Matt Bateman (14. BJ Christie 85 mins), 10. Jonathan Lacey, 11. Rayan Clarke (15. Tom Newman 85 mins). Sub not used: 17. Lewis Thorpe.
Leverstock Green (0) 0
1. Alfie Bonfield, 2. Callum Neal, 3. Rio Beach, 4. Ademide Baruwa, 5. Josh Dooley, 6. Dan Pett, 7. Lewis Collins (12. Jamie Breen 58 mins), 8. Nat Connolly (14. Ryan Carruthers 80 mins), 9. Rawn Seale, 10. Luke Beckwith (16. Cem Poyraz 85 mins), 11. Guiseppe Delgaudio. Subs not used: 15. Oliwier Fusiek, 19. Scott McGleish.

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(A) Berkhamsted

The Under-18s were beaten 2-1 at Berkhamsted in Monday night’s SCFYL Corinthian Division game. Luc Dischamps put Leverstock into the lead in the 5th minute, but the home side had a 2-1 lead by half time, which they retained during the second half.

Starting XI:
Harry Maloret
Alex Maher
James Renton
Oscar Martin
Shay Kelly 🟨
Callum Moore
Joe Sadler 🟨
Connor McGinty
Jamie McIntosh
Luc Dischamps âš½
Louie Blackman

Substitutes (all used):
Harvey Mogford
George Long
Joe Dalli
Kaashan Darr
Elijah Acheampong

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(A) Berkhamsted

Leverstock Green’s under-18s travelled to Berkhamsted to start their SCFYL Corinthian Division season, just three weeks after playing there in the FA Youth Cup, and the result was identical with Ross Bargent’s side again running out winners by the odd goal in five in a see-saw match.

Leverstock were forced into an early change as Tom Rutherford went down after a foul challenge from the Berko keeper in the 16th minute, and the game was stopped for 6 minutes while Rutherford was stretchered off, although the injury was later found to be not serious. Rutherford was replaced by Stan Kenyon, making his competitive debut. When play resumed, Dan Payne hit the post from the resulting free kick. There was another four minute stoppage in the 33rd minute for treatment to a Berko player after a collision with Green keeper Sean Lockehart. Berko took the lead in the 41st minute as a cross came in from the left and Godfrey Opoku rose to head home past Lockehart. Berko still held their lead at the break after eight minutes of stoppage time played, like much of the half, in torrential rain.

Leverstock turned the game around with two goals within two minutes early in the second half. In the 53rd minute Payne won the ball off a defender on the edge of the Berko box and played a one-two with Callum Moore before skilfully chipping the keeper for the equaliser.

100 seconds later Leverstock were in front as a throw from Archie Roberts found Moore inside the box, and Moore turned before pulling back a low cross from the bye-line which was met by Kenyon sticking out a boot at the near post to divert the ball into the net.

Berko levelled the scores at 2-2 in the 71st minute as a free kick lofted into the box was finished by a touch at the near post. However in the 83rd minute Leverstock were back in front with a tremendous goal. A cross into the box was headed away, but only as far as Shad Rasha, who laid the ball off sideways for Charlie Hobbs to hit a fierce first time shot from 25 yards into the bottom corner of the net.

Leverstock held out throughout another six minutes of stoppage time at the end of the game for a fantastic result, which was even more impressive as keeper Sean Lockehart was carrying a dead leg for much of the game but stayed on the pitch with no sub keeper available.

Berkhamsted (1) 2 (Opoku 41, TBA 71)
Leverstock Green (0) 3 (Payne 53, Kenyon 54, Hobbs 83)

Starting XI: Sean Lockehart, George Edwards, Billy Hoar, Charlie Hobbs, Reece Marchant, Finn McLean, Callum Moore, Daniel Payne, Archie Roberts, Thomas Rutherford, Ellis Webb.
Subs used: Stanley Kenyon, Callum Maloney, Jack Nicoll, Shad Rasha.

Full game footage from Veo can be viewed here:
https://app.veo.co/matches/20220908-lev-v-bweko-667c1bf9/

 

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(A) Berkhamsted

Leverstock Green’s under-18s got their competitive season off to a fantastic start as they twice came from behind to beat neighbours Berkhamsted in the Extra Preliminary Round of the FA Youth Cup.

There were some early chances for the Green side. In the 4th minute a pass from Charlie Hobbs set up a great chance for Ed Thackeray, but his shot was saved by the leg of home keeper James Hall. Three minutes later Kai Sullivan had a clear shot from the edge of the box but it went inches over the bar. On 12 minutes Callum Moore had at attempt at goal but it went wide.

It looked as though those missed chances could prove costly when Berko took the lead on the break in the 15th minute. Alfie Roffey intercepted a crossfield pass and ran towards goal before squaring for Godfrey Opoku to shoot home the opening goal.

Opoku went close with another shot shortly afterwards, but for the remainder of the half the game went a little scrappy and niggly, with a yellow card being shown to one player from each side. A minute before the break Leverstock got back into the game through a somewhat fortuitous goal. From a free kick over 40 yards from goal, Charlie Hobbs floated the ball into the box. It should have been an easy take for keeper Hall, but the ball went through his hands and straight into the net to level the scores at 1-1.

However, there was yet more to come before half time, as in the second minute of stoppage time Berko went back in front through former Green player Nana Yeboah, who slotted home a low shot from the edge of the penalty area.

A change at half time saw Archie Roberts replace Kai Sullivan, and ten minutes into the second half it was Roberts who brought Leverstock back level again as Hall again failed to cover himself in glory from a free kick. The kick was 30 yards out and to the left of the penalty area. Roberts floated his shot towards the top corner, and although Hall got a hand to it, he couldn’t keep it from going into the net.

Shortly afterwards there was a lengthy stoppage for treatment to Berko’s Jake McGregor, who eventually had to be stretchered off. Once the game resumed, Leverstock went close to going in front from a goalmouth scramble but neither Roberts nor Bilal Mohammed could force the ball home.

On 69 minutes, however, Leverstock found the net again from another free kick. This time the kick was near the corner flag, and Mohammed floated the ball into the six yard box perfectly for Dan Payne to get on the end of it with a header to put his side in front for the first time in the game.

There was furious pressure from the Berko side over the closing minutes and more than ten minutes of stoppage time, but the Green defence held their composure to hold on for an impressive win. Their reward is a home tie against Langley F.C. in the next round on Thursday 1st September.

Berkhamsted (2) 2 (Opoku 15, Yeboah 45+2)
1. James Hall, 2. Alfie Gaffney (13. Alfie Scozzafava 85 mins), 3. Geraint Yates, 4. Sam Pritchett, 5. Joel Berton, 6. Jake Fowler, 7. Juud Farrant (14. Edwards Scott 53 mins), 8. Jake McGregor (17. Harley Latchford 66 mins), 9. Godfrey Opoku, 10. Nana Yeboah, 11. Alfie Roffey.
Leverstock Green (1) 3 (Hobbs 44, Roberts 55, Payne 69)
1. Liam Fortune, 2. Billy Hoar, 3. Bilal Mohammed, 4. Charlie Hobbs, 5. Finn McLean (14. Reece Marchant 75 mins), 6. Ellis Webb, 7. Kai Sullivan (12. Archie Roberts H/T), 8. Dan Payne, 9. Ed Thackeray, 10. Callum Moore, 11. Tom Rutherford (16. Jack Nicoll 53 mins). Subs not used: 15. Archie Wood, 17. Lenny Hopwood, 18. Callum Maloney.

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(A) Berkhamsted

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(A) Berkhamsted

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(A) Berkhamsted

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