Lords Builders Merchants Stadium

Leverstock Green F.C.

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

(H) Colney Heath

Leverstock Green exited the Premier Division Cup at the second round stage as they were unable to find a way past a resolute Colney Heath defence after conceding an early soft goal in Tuesday night’s tie.

The visitors started the stronger side, and were denied a goal in the 5th minute as Austin Byfield tipped a header from Jack McShane over the bar. In the 13th minute Leverstock were caught on the break from their own free kick. Hesitation between defender and goalkeeper allowed Kemal El-Maghur to nip inbetween them and take the ball past Byfield, eluding the two defenders who had scrambled back to slot the ball into the empty net.

Leverstock came close to an equaliser in the 22nd minute as Lewis Collins made a run into the box and exchanged passes with Chris Blunden before hitting a shot that came back off the inside of the post, with nobody able to get onto the rebound. A foul on Elgeniy Daalberg in the 26th minute gave Leverstock a chance from a free kick in a central position, but Blunden’s effort was comfortable for keeper Connor Sansom. Blunden hit a better long-range effort in the 38th minute, but it flew just over the angle of post and bar.

Colney Heath went close to adding a second goal in the 56th minute with a long-range effort from Harry Shepherd that went inches over the bar, while Leverstock again had a chance for an equaliser in the 62nd minute, but a fierce shot from Rio Beach took a deflection off a defender and went just wide. At the other end Byfield produced a couple of good saves to keep Leverstock in the game, and they went agonsingly close again in the 82nd minute. Radu-Mihai Stefanoaica’s cross from the bye-line was headed back across goal by George Mitchell-Gears and Blunden slid in to finish but was denied by a point-blank save from Sansom.

Leverstock pushed everything forward over the closing minutes and won a succession of corners, but the Colney Heath defence held firm, and they held out for the win which takes them into the quarter-finals. Leverstock finished the game with ten men after Scott McGleish was sin-binned during stoppage time.

Leverstock Green (0) 0
1. Austin Byfield, 2. Adrian Pitfield, 3. Rio Beach, 20. Scott McGleish, 5. Alvin Kyemereh, 6. Ryan Carruthers (15. Ethan Mooney 65 mins), 7. Lewis Collins (17. Radu-Mihai Stefanoaica 68 mins), 8. Dan Pett, 9. Chris Blunden, 10. Sean Walsh (14. George Mitchell-Gears 48 mins), 11. Elgeniy Daalberg (16. Kuranaishe Musanhi 77 mins). Sub not used: 18. Bobby Armstrong.
Colney Heath (1) 1 (El-Maghur 13)
1. Connor Sansom, 2. Elias Nichols, 3. Bradley Dixon-Smith (12. Peter Mokwenye 90 mins), 4. Deandre Pascoe, 5. Yasin Boodhoo, 6. Shimron Eaton, 7. Jack McShane (15. Solomon Dawodu 84 mins), 8. Harry Shepherd, 9. Kemal El-Maghur (16. Hadley Gleeson 69 mins), 10. Lewis Smith (14. Tejon Brown 75 mins), 11. Chris Griffin. Sub not used: 17. George Sippetts.

 

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(H) London Colney

Leverstock Green progressed to the second round of the Premier Division Cup with a 5-4 penalty shoot-out win over London Colney on Tuesday night. It was a game that Leverstock should have won comfortably within the 90 minutes, even after going two goals down early on, as they dominated throughout, but missed a plethora of chances. Making his senior debut for Leverstock was 16-year-old goalkeeper Sean Lockehart, from the Under-18 squad, and he produced a moment to remember during the shoot-out.

The Green side pushed forward right from the start, winning a series of corners in the opening. Their best early chance came in the 9th minute when a pass from Radu-Mihai Stefanoaica put Ethan Mooney in on goal, but his shot was deflected wide. In the 15th minute Lewis Collins made a purposeful run at the Colney defence before putting the ball across the face of goal, where Mooney just failed to reach it at the far post. Two minutes later Collins tried his luck from a free kick, but his shot was turned away by keeper Harvey Simson.

At this point the ball had barely been out of the Colney half, but a minute later they found themselves ahead as Gael Muyonge delivered a cross from the left edge of the penalty area which went over Lockehart’s head and in at the far post. In the 26th minute their lead was doubled as they won a free kick just outside the box which Freddie Newing curled over the wall and out of Lockehart’s reach for a second goal from their second attack of the game.

The Leverstock side looked stunned at being two goals down but they soon reduced the deficit. In the 29th minute Adrian Pitfield received a crossfield ball from Rio Beach on the halfway line, and ran forward into space before unleashing a superb strike from 25 yards which flew into the top corner of the net. In the 37th minute there was an astonishing goalmouth scramble inside the Colney penalty area following a corner in which at least five Leverstock players had an effort at goal but none of them would go in. In first half stoppage time a cross from Ryan Carruthers found Pitfield at the far post but his header was saved by Simson.

Leverstock began the second half in the same fashion as they ended the first, and within a minute they were awarded a penalty when George Mitchell-Gears was tripped inside the box. Mitchell-Gears took the penalty himself, but it wasn’t the best of strikes and Simson dived to his left to save it and maintain his side’s lead.

In the 48th minute Stefanoaica had a shot parried by Simson, and the rebound was cleared just before Collins could get to it. Four minutes later Stefanoaica had another effort at goal which hit the bar. A rapid break in the 56th minute produced another chance as Mooney crossed for Stefanoaica, but his header went over the bar. Finally in the 63th minute Leverstock got their long overdue equaliser as Pitfield crossed to the far post and Mooney’s angled header beat Simson and found the net.

The turnaround should have been complete in the 71st minute as Collins made a tremendous run from the halfway line before laying off to Mitchell-Gears, whose goalbound shot was tipped over by an incredible one-handed save from Simson. In the 82nd minute Simson couldn’t hold onto a corner, but Alvin Kyeremeh somehow headed the loose ball over the bar from close range. The second half had been almost one-way traffic, but as the final whistle went the score was still 2-2 and the tie went to a penalty shoot-out.

Bruno Gomes scored Colney’s first kick before Dan Pett levelled at 1-1. Dujon Desagurante put Colney 2-1 up, and when Mooney put Leverstock’s second penalty into the field behind the goal, they had the advantage. Jacob Adeyemi made it 3-1 before Kyeremeh pulled it back to 3-2. Evaristo Kitoko scored Colney’s 4th to make it match point at 4-2, and they thought they had won it when Simson got a hand to Scott McGleish’s kick, but the rebound went in off the post for 4-3. Gael Muyonge had the chance to win it, but his kick hit the bar, and Stefanoaica scored Leverstock’s fifth to send it into sudden death at 4-4. Lockehart’s moment of glory came as he dived to keep out Colney’s sixth penalty by Newing, and Sean Walsh stepped up to find the corner of the net with his kick and send Leverstock through 5-4 on penalties. They will face Colney Heath at home in the Second Round next Tuesday night.

Leverstock Green (1) 2 (Pitfield 29, Mooney 63)
1. Sean Lockehart, 2. Adrian Pitfield, 3. Rio Beach, 18. Bobby Armstrong (20. Scott McGleish 90+1 mins), 5. Alvin Kyeremeh, 6. Ryan Carruthers (16. Sean Walsh 86 mins), 7. Lewis Collins, 8. Dan Pett, 9. Radu-Mihai Stefanoaica, 10. George Mitchell-Gears, 11. Ethan Mooney. Subs not used: 12. Elgeniy Daalberg, 14. Ayomide Oke, 15. Brad Robinson.
London Colney (2) 2 (Muyonge 18, Newing 26)
1. Harvey Simson, 2. Freddie WIlkinson, 3. Dujon Desagurante, 4. Pijus Montvydas (14. Jake Clarke 52 mins), 5. Bobby Webb (15. Julius Iloris 75 mins), 6. Gael Muyonge, 7. Evaristo Kitoko, 8. Tyrell Benjamin (12. Regan Tobun 72 mins), 9/ Langley Gogoa (16. Bruno Gomes 55 mins), 10. Jacob Adeyemi, 11. Freddie Newing. Sub not used: 20. Norbert Adu.

Video highlights:

 

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(H) Crawley Green

Leverstock Green’s under-18s got back to winning ways in the SCFYL Corinthian Division on Thursday night.

A strike from Kai Sullivan put them 1-0 up against Crawley Green in the 2nd minute. Dan Payne had a chance to double the lead from the penalty spot in the 14th minute, but his kick was saved. Leverstock had the chances to be comfortably ahead, but an equaliser from the visitors in stoppage time meant that the teams went into half time on level terms.

Ten minutes into the second half Payne had another chance from the penalty spot, and this time he converted the kick to put Leverstock 2-1 up, and in the 62nd minute Payne received a pass from Callum Moore and went round the keeper to add the third goal, which proved to be enough for the three points. Ross Bargent’s side currently sit third in the league with two wins from three games.

Starting XI: Liam Fortune, Fergus Murray, Bilal Mohammed, Charlie Hobbs, Ellis Webb, Finn McLean, Dan Payne, Kai Sullivan, Callum Moore, Archie Roberts, Lenny Hopwood. Subs: Billy Hoar, Jamie McIntosh, Shad Rasha, Callum Maloney, Stan Kenyon.

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(H) AFC Dunstable

The under-18s were beaten by the odd goal in five in Thursday night’s SCFYL Corinthian Division game at the Lords Builders Merchants Stadium.

AFC Dunstable took the lead in the 15th minute through Jude Opoku-Asiama, but Leverstock hit back to lead 2-1 through goals from Archie Roberts on 25 and Callum Moore on 35 minutes. The visitors levelled the scores in the 40th minute through Abdulmojeed Yusuf, and a goal on 61 minutes from Matthew Thomas proved the winner for AFC Dunstable.

Starting XI: Freddie Burroughs, Charlie Hobbs, Stanley Kenyon, Callum Maloney, Reece Marchant, Finn McLean, Callum Moore, Daniel Payne, Shad Rasha, Archie Roberts, Ellis Webb.
Subs used: Kai Sullivan, Edward Thackeray, Archie Wood, Bilal Mohammed.

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(H) Ardley United

Back in the early days of August, Leverstock Green opened their league programme with three straight wins and clean sheets. A month on from their third game they finally got to play their fourth league game, and although they were unable to maintain their 100% record and clean sheet record, a late equaliser from Chris Blunden ensured that they remained unbeaten.

Wish Josh Mollison having transferred to Stotfold and Austin Byfield unwell, Oscar Frost was brought back into goal, and the 18 year old acquitted himself well with several good saves. Club captain Dan Weeks was still suffering from the injury picked up at Bishop’s Stortford last week, so former London Colney captain Bobby Armstrong was brought in for his debut, and gave a man-of-the-match performance. On a night of constant drizzle, a slippery surface caused problems for both sides, and the draw was a fair result in the end, especially as Ardley were reduced to ten men for the last half-hour.

Both teams paid their respects to Queen Elizabeth II with a minute’s silence being observed before the game.

Leverstock had the game’s first real chance in the 11th minute as a great pass from Blunden put Luke Beckwith through on goal, but his shot was beaten away by visiting keeper Ben Hoy. At the other end two minutes later Frost pulled off a good save to turn away a header. Frost was in action again in the 15th minute, turning another header from a free kick around the post.

Ardley had a good chance in the 28th minute but the shot went across goal and wide, and an even better chance two minutes later with a forward seeming to have the goal at his mercy from close range, but choosing to head sideways to a team mate who shot into the side netting. Leverstock were denied in the 40th minute as Hoy did well to tip a fierce shot from Ibrahim Nagheeb over the bar. In the last minute of the half Alvin Kyeremeh got on the end of a free kick from Dan Pett but headed over the bar.

Four minutes into the second half Leverstock had another promising attack as Ethan Mooney got away down the right and put the ball into the box, but Beckwith couldn’t get his shot on target. Within a minute they found themselves behind as the ball was given away in their own half and Declan Benjamin was able to send a chip over Frost to put Ardley into a 1-0 lead.

However, ten minutes later Ardley were down to ten men. Jordy Ngathe had already received a yellow card late in the first half for a bad tackle on Nagheeb, and a similar tackle on Pett in the 60th minute saw him receive a second yellow with a red card.

For the remainder of the game Ardley were hanging onto their lead as Leverstock pushed forward with their numerical advantage. With ten minutes remaining both Blunden and Elginey Daalberg missed chances inside the box. However, with five minutes remaining Kyeremeh went on a run into the opposition half. His lofted ball into the box was headed away, but only as far as Blunden on the edge of the box, and after controlling it with his first touch, he smashed home a volley with his second touch for a deserved equaliser.

Leverstock Green (0) 1 (Blunden 85)
1. Oscar Frost, 2. Brad Robinson (15. Adrian Pitfield 53 mins), 3. Rio Beach, 18. Bobby Armstrong, 5. Alvin Kyeremeh, 6. Ryan Carruthers, 7. Ethan Mooney (12. Lewis Collins 53 mins), 8. Dan Pett, 9. Chris Blunden, 10. Ibrahim Nagheeb (14. Elgeniy Daalberg 72 mins), 11. Luke Beckwith. Subs not used: 16. Kai Stonnell, 17. Sean Walsh.
Ardley United (0) 1 (Benjamin 50)
1. Ben Hoy, 2. Jordy Ngathe, 3. Ben Willoughby, 4. Liam Talboys, 5. Joshua Tooke, 6. Conal Rogan (15. Darius Brovone 57 mins), 7. Mason Courtney, 8. Declan Benjamin, 9. Anaclet Odhiambo (17. Tobias London 70 mins), 10. Callum McNish, 11. Elliott Osborne-Ricketts (16. Lewis Gabbidon 63 mins). Subs not used: 12. Ben Gascoigne, 14. Liam Howard.

 

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(H) Langley

Leverstock Green’s under-18s exited the FA Youth Cup at the Preliminary Round stage, as they came up against a very strong and skiful Langley side at the Lords Builders Merchants Stadium on Thursday night.

The visitors dominated the early stages of the game and took the lead in the 15th minute when Diontae Smith made a run at goal. Green keeper Liam Fortune claimed the ball but couldn’t hold onto it, and the loose ball was netted by Pharell Mitchell.

Langley had further chances to extend their lead, but it was Leverstock who scored next, levelling the scores in the 39th minute as Dan Payne netted from close range in a scramble following a corner.

However, the scores were only level briefly as two minutes later Mitchell shot home his second goal from the edge of the penalty area. Langley were pressing again in first half stoppage time, and Fortune made a good save to keep out a third goal, but it only delayed the inevitable for a few seconds as a subsequent shot found the net for a 3-1 half time lead for Langley.

The Leverstock side never looked like getting back into the game in the second half, and the visitors added three further goals. Jaiden Charles ran through to slot home the fourth goal in the 69th minute, Romero Tull lashed home a shot on 82 minutes, and in the 88th minute a clearance from a Green defender cannoned off a Langley player into the net for the sixth goal.

Team: 1. Liam Fortune, 2. Billy Hoar, 3. Bilal Mohammed, 4. Charlie Hobbs, 5. Reece Marchant, 6. Ellis Webb, 7. Shad Rasha (12. Ed Thackeray 58 mins), 8. Dan Payne, 9. Callum Moore, 10. Phoenix Chambers (16. Archie Wood 71 mins), 11. Archie Roberts (15. Jack Nicoll 58 mins). Subs not used: 14. Tom Rutherford, 18. Fergus Murray, 19. Lenny Hopwood, 20. Stan Kenyon.

Full match footage is available to view here:
https://app.veo.co/matches/20220901-lev-v-langley-caeec00c/

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(H) Totternhoe Reserves

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