Leverstock Green FC got back to winning ways with an emphatic 5-1 win over Baldock Town in Saturday’s SSML Premier Division fixture.

It was the first home game since the untimely passing of club secretary Dean Bradford, and Dean was remembered with a minute’s applause before the game.

The Leverstock squad had seen some changes over the last week, with goalkeeper Josh Bowler brought in to cover for the injured Austin Byfield, transferring from today’s opponents Baldock. Striker Chris Blunden decided during the week that he wanted to move on, but Fergus Moore had a ready made replacement with Rawn Seale returning to the club, having been top scorer during season 2021/22. George Mitchell-Gears returned from a three-game suspension, but Radu-Mihai Stefanoaica was still unavailable. For their part, Baldock travelled with a depleted squad and had a very young side out today.

Leverstock Green FC started the game positively and were soon in front. In the 7th minute Seale made a run into the box before squaring. Rio Beach’s shot was parried by keeper David Archer, but Mitchell-Gears followed up to net the rebound. Four minutes later the lead was doubled. Seale laid the ball off to Luke Beckwith 30 yards out, and Beckwith did the rest, running at the defence before hitting a powerful low shot into the corner of the net that gave Archer little chance.

Beckwith was in again in the 20th minute, running on to a great ball from the back from Danny May, but Archer did well, coming off his line to block Beckwith’s shot. Leverstock had a free kick in a dangerous position three minutes later, but Dan Pett’s effort flew over the bar.

The third goal arrived in the 32nd minute, thanks to great work by Seale, who got to the bye-line and pulled the ball back into the six-yard box where Mitchell-Gears stabbed it home for his second of the game.

It was 3-0 at half time, but Baldock were denied a goal back in the opening minute of the second half by a superb save from Bowler, tipping a goalbound shot over the bar. Instead it was Leverstock Green FC who got the next goal, as Beach crossed for Seale to come in and slot home in the 53rd minute for a 4-0 lead.

With a comfortable lead, Leverstock took the opportunity to rest some players with Monday night’s Herts Senior Cup tie at Hitchin in mind, and there was a first team debut for Development Team striker Michael Adriano. All five subtitutes were used, and it was one of them – Ethan Mooney – who added the fifth goal in the 78th minute with an outrageous strike from the left edge of the penalty area into the top corner of the net.

However, the clean sheet was not to be, as Baldock pulled a goal back a minute later with an equally impressive strike from Archie O’Brien, giving Bowler no chance from 30 yards out. To their credit, the Baldock side kept battling until the end.

Leverstock Green FC (3) 5 (Mitchell-Gears 7,32, Beckwith 11, Seale 53, Mooney 78)
1. Josh Bowler, 2. Mikey Havill-Tierney (16. Brad Robinson 59 mins), 3. Rio Beach, 4. Danny May, 5. Callum Neal (18. Dan Weeks 62 mins), 6. Nat Connolly, 7. Luke Beckwith, 8. Dan Pett, 9. Rawn Seale (12. Michael Adriano 71 mins), 10. Ademide Baruwa (14. Ryan Carruthers 68 mins), 11. George Mitchell-Gears (15. Ethan Mooney 71 mins).
Baldock Town FC (0) 1 (O’Brien 79)
1. David Archer, 2. Marley Rochester-Stein (12. Louie Carr H/T), 3. Fraser Findlay, 4. George Kingham, 5. Dempsey Thomas, 6. Roman Chapps, 7. Flavius Drescanu, 8. Archie O’Brien, 9. Brandon Carney, 10. Harry Dollimore, 11. Owen Robertson (14. Zen Cunningham 12 mins). Subs not used: 15. Luke Rowland, 16. Charlie Joy, 17. Jude White.

A poor second half saw Leverstock Green FC slide to a home defeat against Dunstable Town in a game which they ended with ten men. Leverstock failed to capitalise on a strong start to the game, and suffered their first home league defeat of the season.

After some promising buildup play early in the game, Leverstock took the lead in the 15th minute thanks to another combination of their front two. Chris Blunden played a great pass which allowed Radu-Mihai Stefanoaica to outpace the last Dunstable defender before taking the ball round the keeper and slotting home.

The visitors should have been level three minutes later when a misunderstanding between Austin Byfield and Callum Neal left Tolu Ikuyinminu with a shot at an empty net, but his shot went wide. However, on 30 minutes poor defending was punished when three chances were missed for Leverstock Green FC to clear the ball from the edge of their own penalty area before Kyle Faulkner took advantage to shoot home the equaliser.

Following the equaliser Leverstock’s play dropped off, and this continued into the second half as they seemed unable to get their forwards into the game. Dunstable had the ball in the net with a looping header in the 54th minute, but it was disallowed for offside.

A change in the 60th minute saw Lewis Collins replace Luke Beckwith, and four minutes later Collins produced Leverstock’s best moment of the half with a dipping long-range shot which was tipped over the bar by visiting keeper Connor Coulson. A minute later Stefanoaica went on a run into the box before putting over a low cross which just eluded Collins at the far post. The play switched straight to the other end, where Danny Webb was clean through on goal but hit his shot straight at Byfield.

Dunstable made their first change in the 70th minute, bringing on Kelvin Osei-Addo, who was on the pitch for less than a minute before putting his side into the lead. Receiving the ball on the edge of the six-yard box, Osei-Addo turned away from a defender before shooting past Byfield.

Leverstock Green FC made two further changes in the 77th minute to try and rescue the game, but less than a minute later it was 3-1 as Danny Webb struck from the edge of the box. Things went from bad to worse in the 86th minute as George Mitchell-Gears was shown a straight red card for a poor challenge less than ten minutes after coming off the bench. Any comeback was now out of the question as Dunstable came away with a deserved win.

Leverstock Green FC (1) 1 (Stefanoaica 15)
1. Austin Byfield, 2. Mikey Havill-Tierney (17. Brad Robinson 87 mins), 3. Rio Beach, 4. Dan Weeks, 5. Callum Neal, 6. Ryan Carruthers, 7. Luke Beckwith (14. Lewis Collins 60 mins), 8. Shaz Anwar, 9, Chris Blunden (15. George Mitchell-Gears 77 mins), 10. Nat Connolly (16. Ethan Mooney 77 mins), 11. Radu-Mihai Stefanoaica. Sub not used: 12. Ademide Baruwa.
Dunstable Town FC (1) 3 (Faulkner 30, Osei-Addo 71, Webb 78)
1. Connor Coulson, 2. Ethan Creary, 3. Dylan Baker, 4. Benji Crilley, 5. Robbie Goodman, 6. Alfie Osborne (15. Joe Reynolds 80 mins), 7. Ruairi Mills, 8. Harry Beaumont (16. Jimmy Doherty 87 mins), 9. Kyle Faulkner (18. Kelvin Osei-Addo 70 mins), 10. Danny Webb, 11. Tolu Ikuyinminu. Subs not used: 19. Isaac Olaleye, 20. Sam Scott.