Leverstock Green still have a chance of escaping relegation from the Southern League, but they were unable to add any points to their cause on Saturday as they were beaten by a second half goal against Thame United.

It was a game which had huge implications at both ends of the table, but produced few chances overall. The first half saw Leverstock go closest to scoring when Jeffrey Sekyere hit a shot across goal which went just wide in the 20th minute. Thame put the Leverstock goal under some pressure late in the half but didn’t get any efforts on target.

Four minutes into the second half Thame went close to opening the scoring when a long-distance effort from Ethan Luck hit the bar. Two minutes later there was a promising attack at the other end when Rawn Seale exchanged passes with Sekyere, but visiting keeper Matt Crowther came off his line to save from Seale.

The game’s only goal came in the 72nd minute, and it was an unfortunate one from the Leverstock perspective. Lewis Thorne’s shot from the edge of the box took a deflection which caused it to loop up and over Ryan North into the top corner of the net.

Leverstock pushed forward over the closing minutes but were unable to get anything out of the well-organised Thame defence. There was almost an equaliser with the last kick of the game, as a goalmouth scramble ensued from a Leverstock corner, but Seale was denied by Crowther from close range.

The result leaves Leverstock still four points adrift of safety with three games left to play, so some big results will be required from those games.

Leverstock Green (0) 0
1. Ryan North, 2. Callum Neal (12. Lewis Collins 78 mins), 3. Rio Beach, 4. Josh Dooley, 5. Gary Connolly, 6. Ademide Baruwa, 7. Luke Beckwith (16. Radu-Mihai Stefanoaica 53 mins), 8. Nat Connolly (15. Tomasz Siemienczuk 73 mins), 9. Jeffrey Sekyere (14. Ethan Mooney 78 mins), 10. Kyle Connolly, 11. Rawn Seale. Sub not used: 17. Dan Weeks.
Thame United (0) 1 (Thorne 72)
1. Matthew Crowther, 2. Lewis Thorne, 3. Joshua Stranks, 4. Leo Galpin, 5. Ethan Lack, 6. Jefferson Louis, 7. Greg Hackett, 8. Jack Tutton, 9. Ty Deacon, 10. Curtis Brown, 11. Brayden Daniel (14. Rocko Tamplin 70 mins). Subs not used: 12. Finlay Murray, 15. Oscar Lucey.

Leverstock Green boosted their survival hopes with another three points, notching their first back-to-back league wins of the season against North Leigh. Leverstock had much the better of the game against their visitors, who are already doomed to finish bottom of Division One Central, but they had to be patient for their goals after a number of near-misses.

Leverstock had their first chance to open the scoring when they were awarded a penalty in the 17th minute after a cross from Radu-Mihai Stefanoaica was deflected wide by a defender’s hand. Stefanoaica took the penalty himself, but it was not a good kick and keeper Drew Brei was able to get down and save it, and save the follow-up effort from Stefanoaica.

In the 28th minute Kyle Connolly stepped up to take a free kick in a dangerous position just outside the box. His effort had Brei beaten but came back off the post. Connolly was denied by a save from Brei in the 37th minute, and was unlucky again two minutes later when he hit another well-struck free kick but this time hit the bar.

Finally in first half stoppage time Leverstock made the breakthrough. Marcus Warren’s corner found its way to the far post where Callum Neal bundled the ball home for his second goal in two games.

Leverstock continued to be in control in the second half, and added a second goal in the 62nd minute. A corner was headed back by Neal into the path of Dan Weeks, and the skipper hit a superb volley into the net to give his side some breathing space.

There were fewer chances in the second half, but Rawn Seale was unlucky on two occasions late in the game, having a shot turned round the post by Brei in the 78th minute, and hitting the bar with an overhead kick in stoppage time.

Leverstock Green (1) 2 (Neal 45+2, Weeks 62)
1. Ryan North, 2. Callum Neal (16. Keanu Fleming 83 mins), 3. Rio Beach, 4. Dan Weeks, 5. Josh Dooley, 6. Marcus Warren (15. Antonio Edubatey 71 mins), 7. Ethan Mooney (12. Luke Beckwith 55 mins), 8. Nat Connolly, 9. Tomasz Siemienczuk (17. Rawn Seale 75 mins), 10. Kyle Connolly, 11. Radu-Mihai Stefanoaica (14. Lewis Collins 62 mins).
North Leigh (0) 0
1. Drew Brei, 2. Denzel Tengwana, 3. Pelumi Maxwell, 4. George Rushton, 5. Edward Odley, 6. Gabriel Amadiah, 7. Samuel Olawale, 8. Helton Biague (12. Reuben Githua 60 mins), 9. Toby Shoyoye, 10. Louis Mathias, 11. Mekhi Thomas (16. Morgan Williams 83 mins). Subs not used: 14. Victor Hernandez, 15. Andre Bromfield.

It was a must-win game for Leverstock Green against relegation rivals Northwood, and Callum Neal’s second half goal ensured that the three points were duly taken. The win moves Leverstock out of the Southern League Division One Central relegation zone on goal difference, with five games to play.

The whole Leverstock team put in a tremendous shift with a strong, disciplined performance against a dangerous Northwood side that had scored five goals in their previous game. There were some early chances for the Green side. In the 4th minute Jeffrey Sekyere won a header in the box to set up Luke Beckwith with a chance, but he shot into the side netting. Three minutes later Beckwith was in on goal again from an Ademide Baruwa pass, but visiting keeper Dan Hosier turned his shot wide. In the 10th minute Sekyere had a shooting chance from close range but it took a deflection off a defender and went just over the bar. In the 35th minute Callum Neal connected with a volley from the edge of the box that went across goal and wide.

The second half saw Northwood attacking down the slope, and in the 53rd minute Samuel Folarin had a run at goal but his shot was saved by Ryan North. Two minutes later came the crucial moment as Leverstock were awarded a free kick midway inside the Northwood half. Kyle Connolly floated in a perfect delivery which Neal met on the edge of the area with a thumping header that beat Hosier to open the scoring.

There were chances for Leverstock to extend their lead. In the 67th minute a long-range shot from Dan Pett was turned wide by Hosier. Three minutes later Rawn Seale hit the bar with a header from a corner. In the 73rd minute a quick break saw Pett feed the ball out wide to Seale, who ran on to put over a cross which found Sekyere with a header that went wide.

There was still only a single goal in it as the game went into stoppage time, which made for a very tense finish. There was a heart-stopping moment when Omar Rowe had a shooting chance from the edge of the box, but North pulled off a great save to keep it out, and eventually the referee blew for time and Leverstock had their three points.

Leverstock Green (0) 1 (Neal 55)
1. Ryan North, 2. Callum Neal, 3. Rio Beach, 4. Josh Dooley, 5. Gary Connolly, 6. Ademide Baruwa, 7. Luke Beckwith (15. Ethan Mooney 87 mins), 8. Dan Pett, 9. Jeffrey Sekyere, 10. Kyle Connolly, 11. Rawn Seale. Subs not used: 12. Lewis Collins, 14. Nat Connolly, 16. Tomasz Siemienczuk, 17. Radu-Mihai Stefanoaica.
Northwood (0) 0
1. Dan Hosier, 2. Emmanuel Folarin, 3. Jayden Ashbourne (17. Alex Cathline 81 mins), 4. Jordan Ajanlekoko, 5. Reece Yorke, 6. Ronnie Mfinda (14. Stefan Powell 70 mins), 7. Bradley Clayton, 8. Troy Perez-Duah, 9. Samuel Folarin, 10. Omar Rowe, 11. Rio Connell. Subs not used: 12. Jack Empson, 15. Jon-Jo Bates, 16. Denis Nortey.