Lords Builders Merchants Stadium

Leverstock Green F.C.

Pancake Lane,
Leverstock Green,
Hemel Hempstead,
Herts.
HP2 4NQ

(H) Northampton Sileby Rangers

Leverstock Green FC got back to winning ways after two straight defeats, as they progressed to the second round of the Gladwish Challenge Trophy with a 3-0 home win over Division One side Northampton Sileby Rangers.

There was little action of note during the first half, with Radu-Mihai Stefanoaica having the best moment of the half in the 12th minute, barrelling through the visitors’ defence before hitting a shot that struck the bar. Three minutes before the break Luke Beckwith had a good effort which went across goal and wide. Sileby occasionally threatened on the break, but lost their main source of danger five minutes before half time when forward Nathan Burrows had to go off injured.

It was a much more positive Leverstock Green FC side that came out after the break. In the 47th minute Beckwith made a driving run into the box but his shot was kept out by a one-handed save from keeper Dean Love. Two minutes later Love saved again to keep out a shot from Rawn Seale after Leverstock put together an impressive sweeping move from their own half.

In the 53rd minute Seale got on the end of a Dan Pett corner but his header was straight at Love, who also saved again seconds later when Pett had a clear shooting chance.

Finally in the 58th minute Leverstock Green FC took a deserved lead. After good work from Stefanoaica down the right, Ryan Carruthers played a pass from the edge of the box into the path of Beckwith, whose shot from a narrow angle went in despite Love getting a hand to it.

In the 68th minute Sileby were threatening, but Josh Drain’s cross to the far post was well headed away by Rio Beach. On 72 minutes Jake Bettles could have been through on goal but for a foul from Danny May which earned the Leverstock man a yellow card. The second goal arrived in the 76th minute, and it was something of a gift from the visitors, as a defender played the ball straight to Stefanoaica, but it was still an exquisite finish from Stefanoaica, planting a perfect chip over the stranded Love from 30 yards out.

Lewis Collins came off the bench after the goal and almost added his name to the scoresheet within two minutes, running onto a great pass from Callum Neal to go clean through, but being denied by a good save from Love. The third goal eventually came in the 88th minute, created by May with a cross from the left and finished from close range by George Mitchell-Gears.

The win takes Leverstock Green FC into the second round, where they will be at home to Dunstable Town or Sawbridgeworth Town, and is also a confidence booster ahead of next Saturday’s visit to high-flying Milton Keynes Irish.

Leverstock Green (0) 3 (Beckwith 58, Stefanoaica 76, Mitchell-Gears 88)
1. Josh Bowler, 2. Mikey Havill-Tierney (15. Ethan Mooney 54), 3. Rio Beach, 4. Danny May, 5. Callum Neal, 6. Ryan Carruthers, 7. Luke Beckwith (12. Lewis Collins 76 mins), 8. Dan Pett, 9. Rawn Seale (14. George Mitchell-Gears 73 mins), 10. Nat Connolly, 11. Radu-Mihai Stefanoaica (16. Joe Sadler 83 mins). Sub not used: 19. Scott McGleish.
Northampton Sileby Rangers (0) 0
1. Dean Love, 2. Aidan Bradshaw (17. Beppe Freitas 64 mins), 3. Dan Mortimer, 4. Luke Stevens, 5. Stuart Smeathers, 6. Jake Nagy, 7. Jacob Thompson (16. Josh Drain 67 mins), 8. Lewis Kennedy (14. Michael Cirelli 73 mins), 9. Nathan Burrows (15. Jake Bettles 40 mins), 10. Iain Blaikie, 11. Zac Allen. Sub not used: 12. Jake Daldy.

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(H) Cuffley

Leverstock Green Development put up a very good effort in their Herts Senior Centenary Trophy tie, but their young side were just edged out by a strong and experienced Cuffley side.

Leverstock took the lead in the 19th minute. Connor McGinty made a good run down the right, and his cross found Callum Moore, whose shot was saved, but Dylan Duane-Berry followed up to net the rebound. Cuffley equalised in the 26th minute through Dan Jones, who hit a good shot from the edge of the box.

Cuffley could have added a second two minutes later when Joseph Willis was clean through and attempted to send a lob over Green keeper Daniel Gee, but Gee stretched out an arm and diverted the ball away. Callum Moore went very close with a shot from outside the box in the 34th minute, and in the closing minutes of the half Gee twice denied Cuffley forward Mark Ajayi, firstly by deflecting a shot wide, and then by blocking a shot with his feet.

The scores were level at the break, but Cuffley took the lead within three minutes of the restart. Drew Tyler hit a free kick from 30 yards that Gee got a hand to, but could not keep out.

In the 52nd minute there was a crazy goalmouth scramble in the Cuffley box following a Leverstock free kick that was not cleared, but the ball would not go in the net. The decisive moment of the game came in the 66th minute. Leverstock went very close to an equaliser with a header that was cleared off the line, but Cuffley instantly broke away, and Ajayi got the better of the sole Green defender before sending a lob over Gee to put his side 3-1 up.

Leverstock brought on all five subs, and two of them combined in the 82nd minute as a crossfield ball from Schilo Kanda found Luc Dischamps, who hit a good effort that went into the side netting. In the last minute of the ninety Leverstock were given a lifeline when Dischamps was tripped in the box. The referee awarded the penalty and Callum Moore made no mistake from the spot to put his side back in the game at 2-3.

Over eight minutes of stoppage time were played, and in the last of those minutes Leverstock had two good shouts for handball in the box during another goalmouth scramble in which the ball would not go in. The referee gave nothing this time, though, and despite a great effort from the Green side to take the tie into penalties, Cuffley held on to go through to the next round.

1 Daniel Gee
2 Bobby O’Flynn 🔻
3 Stephen Norris 🔻
4 Shay Kelly 🟨 🔻
5 Endrit Krasniqi
6 Alfie Herd
7 Lewis Collins 🔻
8 Connor McGinty
9 Jamie McIntosh 🔻
10 Callum Moore 🟨 ⚽ 90+1
11 Dylan Duane-Berry âš½ 19

12 Harry Herbert 🟢 (Norris 63)
14 Luc Dischamps 🟢 (Kelly 77)
15 Martin Kirov 🟢 (O’Flynn 72)
16 Schilo Mateta Kanda 🟢 (McIntosh 72)
17 Alex King 🟢 (Collins 72)

 

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(H) Buckingham F.C.

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(H) London Lions

Leverstock Green FC were dumped out of the Premier Division Cup at the first hurdle, and displayed little of their sparkling league form on a disappointing night at the Lords Builders Merchants Stadium. Leverstock had won 4-3 away at London Lions in the league less than a week ago, but the visitors were fully deserving of their win tonight.

The Leverstock side showed several changes from Saturday’s game at Colney Heath, with some of the regulars being rested to the bench. Most of the damage in this game was done right at the start of each half. The visitors took the lead with just 52 seconds on the clock. Josh Bowler received a back pass on the left edge of his penalty area and kicked the ball clear, but it struck Lions forward Max Kyte and deflected into the path of Felix Shalom, who had the simple task of shooting into the empty net with Bowler still stranded out of his goal.

Leverstock pushed forward for an equaliser, and generally had more of the ball during the first half, but created little despite some promising build-up play. In the 25th minute a cross from Morgan Grout found George Mitchell-Gears, but his header from close range went wide. Two minutes later a pass from Danny May allowed Ademide Baruwa to get to the bye-line and pull the ball back, but Jayden Newman couldn’t force the ball home. In the last minute of the half the visitors almost scored a second goal in similar style to their first, but Daniel Creese shot wide from the edge of the box.

In the opening minute of the second half Baruwa had a chance to score from a narrow angle, but his shot was kept out by keeper Nathan Bloohn. Instead it was London Lions who scored the next goal in the 47th minute as a long kick from Bloohn found Austin Lipman to shoot home a classic route one goal.

Leverstock Green FC rarely looked like getting back into the game, and it was the visitors who looked more likely to score with a couple of shots going just wide of the target. The Green side was reduced to ten men in the 82nd minute when Ryan Carruthers was sent to the sin-bin, and in the 89th minute Lee Goldberg shot home a deserved third goal for the visitors from 25 yards out. Leverstock had a chance to net a consolation goal in stoppage time when Mitchell-Gears was brought down in the box, resulting in the award of a penalty and a red card for the Lions player. However, Ethan Mooney’s penalty was saved, and Nat Connolly’s effort from the rebound went wide, to cap off a thoroughly miserable night for the Leverstock contingent.

Leverstock Green FC (0) 0
1. Josh Bowler, 2. Mikey Havill-Tierney, 3. Rio Beach, 4. Callum Neal, 18. Ryan Carruthers, 6. Danny May, 7. George Mitchell-Gears, 8. Joe Sadler (14. Nat Connolly 79 mins), 9. Jayden Newman (12. Luke Beckwith 54 mins), 10. Ademide Baruwa (16. Dan Pett 66 mins), 11. Morgan Grout (15. Ethan Mooney 62 mins). Sub not used: 17. Dan Weeks.
London Lions FC (1) 3 (Shalom 1, Lipman 47, Goldberg 89)
1. Nathan Bloohn, 2. Jack Mordecai, 3. Benji Weinberger (16. Barr Slagter 90 mins), 4. Adam Arnold, 5. Alex Lee (15. Lee Goldberg 81 mins), 6. Micky Perkins, 7. Daniel Creese (12. Zak Jackson 67 mins), 8. Yoav Wynne (14. Leo Carmelita 67 mins), 9. Max Kyte, 10. Austin Lipman, 11. Felix Shalom (17. Oscar Wagner 81 mins).

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(H) Bovingdon Reserves

Leverstock Green Development were knocked out of the Norman Appleby Trophy at the first hurdle on Saturday. They went in front with a goal from Luc Dischamps, but visitors Bovingdon Reserves came back to win 2-1.

Starting XI:
Harry Maloret
Bobby O’Flynn
Toby Mandeville
Connor McGinty
Endrit Krasniqi
Harry Herbert
Luc Dischamps âš½
Martin Kirov
Jamie McIntosh
Callum Moore
Dylan Duane-Berry
Substitutes:
Schilo Kanda (for Kirov)
Stephen Norris (for Mandeville)
Archie Roberts (for Dischamps)
Alex King
Jack Marshall

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(H) Buntingford Town

The new management team of Andy Murray, Steve Newing and Dave Clarke took charge of the Development Team for the first time on Saturday, and their side put up a good performance before going down 4-2 at home to Buntingford Town. Goals from Morgan Grout and Jack Marshall kept the game at 2-2 until the visitors scored two late goals.

Starting XI:
Daniel Gee
Bobby O’Flynn 🟨
Toby Mandeville
Connor McGinty
Endrit Krasniqi
Harry Herbert
Morgan Grout âš½
Martin Kirov 🟨
Jamie McIntosh
Callum Moore
Luc Dischamps

Substitutes:
Shay Kelly (for Dischamps 75)
Jack Marshall (for Moore 65) âš½
Antonio Ivanov (for McIntosh 65)
Alex King (for Kirov 60)

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(H) Aylesbury Vale Dynamos

It was three more points for Leverstock Green FC on Tuesday night, but it was also another unnecessarily tense finish as visitors Aylesbury Vale Dynamos pulled back two late goals to take the game to the wire after Leverstock had apparently been cruising at 3-0 up.

After a quiet start to the game the visitors had the first chance in the 13th minute from a free kick in a dangerous position just outside the box, but Alfie Anderson curled his effort just wide. Four minutes later Dynamos had another chance as Leverstock were caught on the break from their own corner. Abu Khan went on a powerful run through the Green defence and set up Sam Olawele, but his shot was cleared off the line.

Leverstock’s first effort on goal came in the 25th minute when Luke Beckwith hit an effort from the edge of the box which went just wide. Leverstock were forced into a chance in the 28th minute when Mikey Havill-Tierney went down injured and had to be replaced by Callum Neal. In the 34th minute the visitors were penalised for a foul by Nathan Brownsword near the corner flag. Brownsword’s protests earned him a sin-bin which reduced his side to ten men for the next ten minutes.

Leverstock Green FC made the most of their period of numerical advantage. Dan Pett delivered the free kick into the box, finding Callum Neal to head home his first goal for the club just six minutes after coming off the bench. It got even better for Leverstock in the 41st minute as Neal turned provider, sending over a cross from the right which found Radu-Mihai Stefanoaica with a header which went in off the post to put Leverstock 2-0 up.

Leverstock continued their good form into the second half. In the 51st minute Jayden Newman showed some good footwork on the edge of the penalty area before hitting a shot which deflected wide off a defender. The resulting corner was only headed away as far as the edge of the penalty area, where Beckwith met it with a low drive into the bottom corner of the net for a 3-0 Leverstock lead.

Leverstock Green FC were well on top at this point, and with Stefanoaica causing havoc on the wing further goals looked likely. However, a lapse of concentration at the back allowed the visitors back into the game in the 72nd minute. Jake Baldwin won the ball on the edge of the Leverstock box and hit a shot which Josh Bowler did well to turn away, but was helpless as Jonathan Pascal followed up to net the rebound.

Still Leverstock Green FC were looking the more likely side. In the 82nd minute Stefanoaica tried his luck from a free kick just outside the box but was denied by a save from keeper Charlie Jones. A minute later Stefanoaica hit a screamer from 30 yards which rattled the crossbar. The game was still in the balance, and even more so in the second minute of stoppage time when the Green defence was caught out again as Abu Khan ran through two challenges before hitting an unstoppable shot from the edge of the box to pull the score back to 3-2.

Four further minutes of stoppage time were played as Aylesbury pushed everyone forward, and there were a few moments of panic in the Leverstock box, but they just about held out for another crucial win which takes them within sight of the division’s top five. On Saturday they face one of the sides above them with a visit to Biggleswade United.

Leverstock Green FC (2) 3 (Neal 34, Stefanoaica 41, Beckwith 53)
1. Josh Bowler, 2. Mikey Havill-Tierney (15. Callum Neal 28 mins), 3. Rio Beach, 4. Dan Weeks, 18. Ryan Carruthers (14. Connor McGinty 87 mins), 6. Danny May, 7. Radu-Mihai Stefanoaica, 8. Dan Pett, 9. Jayden Newman (17. Rawn Seale 68 mins), 10. Nat Connolly, 11. Luke Beckwith (12. Lewis Collins 68 mins) (16. Joe Sadler 79 mins).
Aylesbury Vale Dynamos FC (0) 2 (Pascal 72, Khan 90+2)
1. Charlie Jones, 2. Dino Bonwick (15. Harvey Matthews 70 mins), 3. Mamadou Maiga, 4. Dale Brown, 5. Terry Griffiths, 6. Nathan Brownsword, 7. Alfie Anderson (17. Jake Baldwin 61 mins), 8. Fabian Garcia (14. Alfi Touceda 61 mins), 9. Sam Olawale, 10. Abu Khan, 11. Jonathan Pascal. Subs not used: 12. Princewill Madu, 16. James Young.

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