After three straight league defeats, Leverstock Green stopped the rot as they twice came from behind for a battling point at Beaconsfield Town in Saturday’s Southern League Division One Central fixture.

With injuries still plaguing the Leverstock squad, there were four new signings in the starting lineup today. Goalkeeper Reuben Rabstein has joined on loan from Royston Town, having previously played for the club eight years ago. Attacking midfielder Zenon Stylianides has joined from FC Romania, while defender Chad King and midfield Zac Hawker have signed on dual registrations with Colney Heath and Egham Town respectively.

It wasn’t a great start to the game for Leverstock, as they fell behind in the 5th minute. As Beaconsfield forward Usman Lalustani made a run at goal, Rabstein came out of his goal to try to avert the danger, but Lalustani got round him and squeezed the ball in from a narrow angle to open the scoring.

The home side should probably have added another couple of goals as they dominated for much of the first half, but Leverstock weathered the storm and started to come into the game late in the half. They were rewarded with a goal in first half stoppage time. Hawker lofted a pass forward from near the halfway line to find Rawn Seale on the edge of the box, and Seale controlled the ball with his first touch before drilling home a low shot with his second touch to level the scores at 1-1.

Having got back in the game, Leverstock made another poor start to the second half and were behind again within 30 seconds. Manuchin Oke-William netted a diving header from close range for a 2-1 Beaconsfield lead.

But Leverstock fought back again and were level again in the 59th minute. After a corner had been headed away, Lewis Collins hit a shot back into the box, and Stylianides applied the finishing touch with an audacious backheel from a couple of yards out to score on his debut and make it 2-2.

For the remainder of the game it was Leverstock who looked the most likely to score again, and their best chance game in the 84th minute when Callum Neal intercepted the ball in his own half and played a long pass forward to give Guiseppe Delgaudio a run at goal, but his shot was saved by keeper Ed Brearey. Despite putting pressure on the home goal in the closing minutes Leverstock couldn’t find a winner, but equally they kept their own goal intact to ensure that they at least came away with the point they deserved.

Beaconsfield Town (1) 2 (Lalustani 5, Oke-William 46)
1. Ed Brearey, 2. Charlie Smith, 3. Troy Silvera, 4. Matthew Harriot, 5. Jacques Kpohomouh, 6. Liam Butters, 7. Usman Lalustani (14. Elias Grant 74 mins), 8. Akiel Raffie, 9. Manuchin Oke-Williams, 10. Joshua Marcon (18. Maksymilian Jarzabek 81 mins), 11. Eremide Lawal. Subs not used: 15. Cheyce Grant, 17. Avtandili Akhsiashvili, 19. Austen Edwards.
Leverstock Green (1) 2 (Seale 45+1, Stylianides 59)
1. Reuben Rabstein, 2. Callum Neal, 3. Jamie Breen (12. Ademide Baruwa 23 mins), 4. Dan Weeks, 5. Chad King, 6. Ryan Carruthers (14. Nat Connolly 81 mins), 7. Lewis Collins (15. Guiseppe Delgaudio 69 mins), 8. Dan Pett, 9. Rawn Seale, 10. Zac Hawker, 11. Zenon Stylianides. Subs not used: 16. Oliwier Fusiek, 17. Marcus Warren.