It was deja vu all over again for Leverstock Green today, as they scored two goals before half time after a slow start, let their opponents back into the game with 20 minutes to play, but held on for a crucial three points, just as they had at Baldock on Thursday night.

Fergus Moore continues to rotate his squad through this demanding schedule, with injuries to Guiseppe Delgaudio and Ryan Carruthers meaning further changes from Thursday’s starting line-up.

Visitors Shefford are at the wrong end of the table, but looked marginally the better side in the early stages. Leverstock’s first real attack came in the 17th minute when a cross from Ethan Mooney found Luke Beckwith, but he couldn’t get enough on his header to divert it on target. However, five minutes later the crucial breakthrough came. Nat Connolly won the ball off a defender just outside the box and fed Rawn Seale, who played a pass to put Beckwith through on goal. Beckwith rifled the ball into the roof of the net to put Leverstock into a 1-0 lead.

Two minutes later the lead was doubled, as Gary Connolly floated a superb cross into the box, which could have been finished by any of the three players who were coming in to meet it, but it was George Mitchell-Gears who got the touch to divert it into the net.

Leverstock were comfortably ahead at the break, but once again they did not really get going in the second half. Shefford were seeing more of the ball, and it was no surprise when they pulled a goal back in the 74th minute. Josh Bowler parried away a shot from outside the box, but young substitute Alf Roffey followed up to net the rebound and put his side back in the game. It was a difficult finish to the game, but the closest that Shefford came to equalising was in the 86th minute when Kurtis Alleyne shot over tha bar from a good cross. Two minutes into stoppage time Curtis Dibley almost added a third for Leverstock, but the keeper did well to turn it away.

For much of the afternoon it looked like Leverstock might be able to clinch third place and a home playoff tie with a game to spare, but a late winner for Harpenden at Dunstable saw them stay ahead in third place on goal difference. Now Leverstock require a point from Tuesday night’s final league game against Tring to snatch third place and home advantage. Either way it is confirmed that Leverstock will be playing Harpenden in the playoff semi-final on Wednesday 1st May.

Skipper Dan Weeks was playing his 250th game for the club, and was rewarded for a fine display by being nominated as Man of the Match.

Leverstock Green (2) 2 (Beckwith 22, Mitchell-Gears 24)
1. Josh Bowler, 2. Gary Connolly, 3. Rio Beach, 4. Dan Weeks, 5. Paul Marks, 6. Nat Connolly (12. Ademide Baruwa 66 mins), 7. Luke Beckwith (16. Callum Moore 90 mins), 8. Dan Pett, 9. Rawn Seale (17. Jayden Newman 56 mins), 10. George Mitchell-Gears (14. Curtis Dibley 73 mins), 11. Ethan Mooney. Sub not used: 15. Josh Dooley
Shefford Town & Campton (0) 1 (Roffey 74)
1.Reece Lewis, 2. Vinnie Baker, 3. Chris Uchenna, 4. Frankie Webster (15. Luke Carter 71 mins), 5. Charlie Milton, 6. Dempsey Thomas, 9. Amir Hadi, 10. Sam Day (17. Luke Baranowski 81 mins), 11. Scott Metcalfe (7. Alf Roffey 65 mins), 16. Carmichael Uchenna, 20. Kurtis Alleyne. Sub not used: 14. Kane Dougherty.