It was another heartbreaker for Leverstock Green as once again they were denied a full three points by an equaliser deep into stoppage time. Leverstock had defended superbly throughout and certainly deserved the win, but a goal out of nothing in the sixth minute of stoppage time meant they only came away with a point.

There were two new signings in the Leverstock lineup, with Carmicheal Uchenna, signed from AFC Dunstable starting at left back, while Kombe Kawimbe, signed on a youth loan from neighbours Hemel Hempstead Town came on as a second half substitute.

It was a game of few chances, especially in the first half. There had been little action of note before the incident that led to Leverstock taking the lead in the 40th minute. A through pass from Iker Noguera Leon put Joe McCarthy in behind the last defender. McCarthy’s shot was partially stopped by keeper Liam Gooch, but as he chased the ball trickling towards goal, he was brought down. The referee awarded the penalty, and although Jeffrey Sekyere’s spot kick was saved by Gooch, Sekyere got to the rebound first to put Leverstock a goal up.

There could have been a second goal in stoppage time as a through ball found Sekyere, who nodded the ball past Gooch, but it was heading away from goal and McCarthy couldn’t quite get to it.

In the second half Leverstock were playing against the slope, plus the wind and increasingly heavy rain, but they still reduced Stotfold to few chances. Leverstock keeper Ashton Broome-Alexander produced good saves to keep out a cross that missed everybody in the 53rd minute, and in the 65th minute when Stotfold broke away and Ashley Kersey was through on goal.

At times Leverstock had difficulty getting the ball out of their own half, but still had some promising moments. In the 64th minute a pass from Sekyere gave Iker Noguera Leon a run at goal, but a great tackle from a defender forced a corner. From the resulting corner Dan Casey’s header brought a save out of Gooch.

As the match went deep into stoppage time Leverstock still held their lead and looked to have taken everything that Stotfold had thrown at them, but in the sixth minute of added time a hopeful ball was pumped into the box from the halfway line and Kersey got on the end of it with a looping header that left Broome-Alexander stranded and found the net, leaving Leverstock to once again rue their absence of luck.

Leverstock Green (1) 1 (Sekyere 40)
1. Ashton Broome-Alexander, 2. Dan Casey, 3. Carmicheal Uchenna, 4. Dan Pett, 5. Callum Neal, 6. Ryan Carruthers, 7. Joe McCarthy (16. Marcus Warren 88 mins), 8. Nat Connolly (14. Kombe Kawimbe 74 mins), 9. Jeffrey Sekyere (19. Jack Allen 90+4 mins), 10. George Mitchell-Gears, 11. Iker Noguera Leon (15. Radu-Mihai Stefanoaica 76 mins). Sub not used: 12. Rio Beach.
Stotfold (0) 1 (Kersey 90+6)
1. Liam Gooch, 2. Enock Ekongo, 4. James Peters, 5. Daniel Sears, 6. Lewis Thomas, 7. Luca Cardines (10. Lucas Titchmarsh 72 mins), 8. Jake Bunyan (16. Aaron Diviney 86 mins), 9. Henry Snee, 11. Codi Spavins (15. Hamid Seisay 78 mins), 12.Sebastian Simpson, 19. Ashley Kersey. Subs not used: 3. Ola Okeowo, 14. Romero Smart-Tull.

Leverstock Green were unable to follow up Saturday’s win as visitors Biggleswade Town took away the three points on Tuesday night, although two late goals made the scoreline somewhat flattering for the visitors.

Biggleswade started the game strongly, with Harry Way being forced into an impressive double save in the 3rd minute. A goalline block from Steve Brown kept the scores level during a goalmouth scramble in the 15th minute. A minute later Leverstock could have opened the scoring. Marcus Warren found Freddie Newing on the overlap, and Newing’s cross found its way through to Mitchell Weiss at the far post, but his shot was straight at the keeper.

Leverstock seemed to have weathered the early storm, but the visitors then took the lead in the 32nd minute. A shot from the edge of the box was tipped onto the bar by Way, but as the rebound came down, Liam Andrews was quickest to the ball and headed home. Leverstock went close again two minutes later when Ryan Carruthers crossed from the right touchline and Jeffrey Sekyere slid in at the near post to meet it, but his effort was blocked wide by a defender.

As was the case in the first game between the sides, once Biggleswade got in front, they used all sorts of time-wasting tactics in an effort to kill the game at every opportunity. Leverstock made a strong start to the second half, with a shot from Lewis Rolfe bringing out a great save from the keeper in the 57th minute. Leverstock had a good spell of pressure at this point, but it was ended by one of numerous points during the half where the flow of the game was stopped by Biggleswade players going down demanding treatment, requiring the physio to come on.

In the 70th minute Weiss set up a good chance for Carruthers, but he shot over the bar from the edge of the box. Leverstock’s chances were further impacted in the 75th minute when Rolfe was shown a straight red card for a challenge that looked worthy of no more than a yellow card. There was another near miss in the 80th minute when a cross from Weiss went across the face of goal and just eluded Joe McCarthy.

Biggleswade had rarely looked like scoring during the second half, and Leverstock were still in the game as seven minutes of stoppage time were indicated, but in the second minute of stoppages, there was a goal out of the blue as Barsa Mirtahmasebi struck a shot from 20 yards that flew over Way to make it 2-0. Further into stoppage time the visitors were awarded a penalty. Way made a great save to turn the spot kick wide, however Leverstock then conceded a soft third goal as the ball went in at the near post direct from the resulting corner.

Leverstock Green (0) 0
1. Harry Way, 2. Callum Neal, 3. Freddie Newing (18. Jack Allen 88 mins), 4. Dan Pett, 5. Steve Brown, 6. Ryan Carruthers, 7. Iker Noguera Leon (12. Joe McCarthy 66 mins),8. Lewis Rolfe, 9. Jeffrey Sekyere, 10. Marcus Warren (15. Radu-Mihai Stefanoaica 66 mins), 11. Mitchell Weiss. Subs not used: 14. Aldo Petagine, 20. Scott McGleish.
Biggleswade Town (1) 3 (Andrews 32, Barsa Mirtahmasebi 90+2, Babaie-Gumbs 90+5)
1. Jack Berman, 5. Barsa Mirtahmasebi, 7. Daniel Newton, 8. Alfie Powell, 9. Cyrus Babaie-Gumbs, 11. Ebenezer Kufuor, 12. Adam Martin, 15. Joshua Steele, 16. Emmanuel Dahie (10. Basim Mirtahmasebi 74 mins), 19. Harrison Rookard (14. Niall Jones 86 mins), 20. Liam Andrews (17. Damani Hunter 90 mins). Sub not used: 13. George Kyle.

 

After 16 league games without a win, stretching back to August, Leverstock Green finally recorded their third Southern League Division One Central win of the season for a much-needed three points.

With a lengthy injury list and with Tom Georgiou having been recalled by Watford for an U23 game, the Leverstock side was boosted today by the addition of two players signed on dual registration from Chesham United – striker Mitchell Weiss and defender Steve Brown. Freddie Newing stepped up from the reserves to play at left-back.

Visitors Beaconsfield got off to a strong start against the new-look Leverstock defence, with Zidan Akers getting through on goal in the 3rd minute, but Harry Way pulled off a good save. However, a minute later it was Leverstock that took the lead from their first attack of the game. Callum Neal’s pass over the top allowed Weiss to run onto it and produce a classy first time finish, slotting the ball under keeper Tommy Dymott.

The Leverstock side then looked to increase their lead. In the 6th minute Joe McCarthy hit a shot from the edge of the box that flew inches over the bar. Five minutes later Jeffrey Sekyere had a run at goal before laying off to McCarthy, but his shot was saved by Dymott. McCarthy was threatening in the box again in the 18th minute, but was brought down by a challenge from George Brough. The referee pointed straight to the penalty spot, and Sekyere netted the spot kick for his 17th goal of the season and a 2-0 Leverstock lead.

There was another good chance in the 35th minute as good work from Weiss put in Sekyere to pull the ball back for McCarthy, but his shot on the turn came back off the post and George Mitchell-Gears’ effort from the rebound was saved by Dymott. A minute later Weiss ran clear down the left and crossed for Sekyere, whose header was blocked wide by a defender.

The visitors were reduced to ten men in first half stoppage time when Ollie Turner received a straight red card for kicking out at Mitchell-Gears after a tussle between the two.

Holding onto a lead has been Leverstock’s main problem this season, but on this occasion they were able to maintain their lead and the clean sheet despite a good effort from the ten man Beaconsfield side in the second half. There was a crucial intervention from Brown in the 72nd minute to head the ball off the line with Harry Way stranded out of his goal. There could have been a third goal in the 82nd minute when Weiss crossed for Iker Noguera Leon, but his shot was straight at Dymott, and a minute later Weiss ran at goal himself but shot into the side netting.

The win will be a confidence-booster for the Leverstock side, with further home games to come this week against Biggleswade Town on Tuesday night and Stotfold next Saturday.

Leverstock Green (2) 2 (Weiss 4, Sekyere 19 pen)
1. Harry Way, 2. Callum Neal, 3. Freddie Newing (14. Aldo Petagine 90+2 mins), 4. Dan Pett, 5. Steve Brown, 6. Ryan Carruthers, 7. Joe McCarthy (15. Radu-Mihai Stefanoaica 74 mins), 8. George Mitchell-Gears (18. Jack Allen 87 mins), 9. Jeffrey Sekyere, 10. Marcus Warren (12. Iker Noguera Leon 64 mins), 11. Mitchell Weiss. Sub not used: 20. Scott McGleish.
Beaconsfield Town (0) 0
1. Tommy Dymott, 3. James Dobson, 4. Mark Nisbet, 6. Luke Neville (16. Samuel Wraith 63 mins), 7. Zidan Akers (17. Joshua Stranks 76 mins), 8. Zak Fraser-Grante (11. Jamie Davies H/T), 10. Joshua Marcon, 12. Matthew Harriott, 14. Ollie Turner, 15. George Brough (22. Harrison Galloway H/T), 19. Alex Peapell. Sub not used: 5. Louis Udeh.

Leverstock Green came back from 3-1 down against Aylesbury United and should have gone on to win the game against ten men, but had to settle for yet another draw as they were unable to put the ball in the net during a frantic final ten minutes.

There were two further additions to the Leverstock squad today, with 17 year old striker Jael Norville joining on a work experience loan from Watford, and experienced utility player Lewis Rolfe signing on a dual registration from Chesham United.

Leverstock should have been ahead within twenty seconds of the kick off. After good build-up play from Jeffrey Sekyere and Iker Noguera Leon, Rolfe delivered a cross which Radu-Mihai Stefanoaica came in to meet, but put it wide from point blank range. However, in the 5th minute Leverstock were awarded a penalty for a mistimed tackle that brought down Stefanoaica, and Sekyere made no mistake from the spot kick to put them into a 1-0 lead.

Leverstock looked good value for their lead, but it was short-lived as the visitors equalised in the 15th minute through Sonny French, who hit a dipping shot from outside the box which flew over Harry Way. Worse was to come, as an almost identical strike from Finlay Reeves put Aylesbury 2-1 up in the 26th minute from only their second shot of the game. Leverstock were denied an equaliser in the 33rd minute, with Ducks keeper Jack Hopwood pulling off a great save to keep out Leon’s shot after a cross from Stefanoaica had set him up.

The visitors took their lead into the break, and extended it in the 51st minute when Luke Martin bundled the ball home from a poorly-defended corner. However, Leverstock got themselves back into the game within two minutes, as Dan Pett exchanged passes with Sekyere before slotting past Hopwood to reduce the arrears to 3-2.

Leverstock pressed for an equaliser, with Stefanoaica going on a solo run into the box before having his shot turned wide by Hopwood on 62 minutes, and two minutes later heading over the bar from a Rolfe cross. The visitors were then reduced to ten men. Reeves had been yellow-carded for a blatant dive in the box on 58 minutes, and six minutes later received a second yellow for delaying a restart.

The game was played almost entirely in the Aylesbury half from this point. Norville came off the bench for his debut in the 69th minute, and a minute later another chance was missed as Sekyere headed wide from a Stefanoaica cross. Finally in the 80th minute Leverstock got the equaliser their pressure deserved. Pett’s pass set up a chance for Norville, and the youngster produced a neat finish from a narrow angle to make the score 3-3.

Over the remaining minutes there was a series of corners, crosses and goalmouth scrambles, but the ball would not go in the net for Leverstock. Sekyere and Stefanoaica both missed clear chances from close range and the Aylesbury defence also produced a couple of goal-line clearances. Assistant manager Scott McGleish brought himself off the bench to make an extra target for a last-gasp free kick, but again the ball would not go in.

Leverstock Green (1) 3 (Sekyere 6 pen, Pett 53, Norville 80)
1. Harry Way, 2. Callum Neal, 3. Lewis Rolfe, 4. Thomas Georgiou, 18. Tommy Boxer (14. John Gyabaah 78 mins) 6. Nat Connolly (16. Jael Norville 69 mins), 7. Radu-Mihai Stefanoaica, 8. Dan Pett, 9. Jeffrey Sekyere, 10. Marcus Warren (20. Scott McGleish 90+4 mins), 11. Iker Noguera Leon. Sub not used: 12. Josh Dooley, 16. Juan Pablo Velasco.
Aylesbury United (2) 3 (French 15, Reeves 26, Martin 51)
1. Jack Hopwood, 2. Lee Stobbs, 3. Jake Bewley, 4. Jack Wood, 5. Luke Martin, 6. Sonny French, 7. Ayo Akinbobola (16. Liam Batchelor-Morgan 80 mins), 8. Fabian Garcia, 9. Benji Kakembo (12. Abdullah Jellal 53 mins), 10. Rocko Tamplin, 11. Finlay Reeves. Subs not used: 13. Tom Alexander, 14. Remel Larwood, 15. Ben Peters.

Leverstock Green staged a late fightback, but they could not recover from the damage of a poor first half against Biggleswade F.C. It was a depleted Leverstock squad this afternoon, with several injuries alongside the one-game suspension of second highest goalscorer Joe McCarthy for accruing five yellow cards.

The visitors were ahead as early as the third minute. The Leverstock defence was caught out of position, with Adam Hunt having space to run into the box down the left. Hunt played the ball out to Alex Marsh, who squared back into the box for Hunt to finish from close range.

Marsh could have made it two in the 7th minute, but his long-range effort was tipped over the bar by Harry Way. In the 18th minute Ethan Kessel shot wide of the target after another run into the box from Hunt. The second goal arrived in the 21st minute. As a cross came in from the left, Aldo Petagine was prevented from scoring an own goal by a good save from Way, but the rebound came out to Sonny Coughlin-Brown, who fired home to make it 2-0 to the visitors.

Leverstock finally got some possession in the closing minutes of the half and put some pressure on the Biggleswade defence, but they were fortunate to only be trailing by two goals at the break. The start of the second half was more promising. In the opening minute Iker Noguera Leon fed a pass through to Ethan Mooney, whose shot brought a great save from keeper Blade Earley. A minute later Jeffrey Sekyere had a shot blocked in the box.

However, an unfortunate third goal for the visitors in the 53rd minute gave Leverstock even more of a mountain to climb. Biggleswade were awarded a free kick in a dangerous position just outside the box, and Kessel’s kick took a big deflection off Hunt which took it past Way and into the net.

Leverstock brought on Justin Dass and John Gyabaah for their first appearances in a few weeks, and the two players looked bright and were key factors in Leverstock playing their way back into the game. They got a glimmer of hope in the 63rd minute when Leon was brought down by Earley inside the box as he was running away from goal. The referee awarded the penalty, and Sekyere put away the spot kick with his usual composure to pull a goal back.

Leverstock’s pressure was increasing over the closing minutes of the game, and in the 90th minute they went close when a shot from Dan Pett was turned round the post by Earley. From the resulting corner Sekyere rose highest to connect with a glancing header to reduce the arrears to 3-2.

Four minutes of stoppage time were signalled, and in the fifth of those minutes Leverstock were awarded a free kick midway inside the Biggleswade half. With only seconds left even Way came up into the box to compete for Pett’s cross floated into the box, but the ball was cleared to Daniel Bond near the halfway line. Gyabaah was the only man back, and he looked to have done enough to stop Bond, but an unlucky deflection saw the substitute go clean through to slot into the empty net and make it 4-2 with the last kick of the game.

Leverstock Green (0) 2 (Sekyere 64 pen, 90)
1. Harry Way, 2. Callum Neal, 3. Aldo Petagine (15. John Gyabaah 62 mins), 4. Josh Dooley, 5. Thomas Georgiou, 6. Ryan Carruthers, 7. Ethan Mooney (14. Justin Dass 48 mins), 8. Dan Pett, 9. Jeffrey Sekyere, 10. Nat Connolly (18. Scott McGleish 81 mins), 11.Iker Noguera Leon. Subs not used: 12. Dan Casey, 20. Tommy Boxer.
Biggleswade FC (2) 4 (Hunt 3, 53, Coughlin-Brown 21, Bond 90+6)
1. Blade Earley, 2. Adam Hunt, 3. Lawrie Marsh, 4. Billy Baird (16. Luke Oswick 73 mins), 5. Leo Jenkins, 6. Pete Holmes, 7. Alex Marsh, 8. Conor Inskip, 9. Temi Akinbusoye (14. Daniel Bond 72 mins), 10. Ethan Kessel (12. Charlie Hayford 73 mins), 11. Sonny Coughlin-Brown (17. George Bailey 72 mins). Sub not used: 15. Sammy Fisher-Diaz.