Lords Builders Merchants Stadium

Leverstock Green F.C.

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

(H) St Panteleimon

Leverstock Green’s run of clean sheets ended, but Fergus Moore’s side showed great spirit to fight back from a 2-0 half time deficit and keep their FA Cup hopes alive with a dramatic stoppage time equaliser. The stunning strike from Rio Beach means that Leverstock will travel to Hertford to face St Panteleimon in a Preliminary Round replay on Wednesday night.

There were few chances in the early stages, with Leverstock’s best effort coming in the 14th minute with a shot from Ryan Carruthers which keeper Diego Pereira couldn’t hold onto, but Pereira recovered to grab the rebound before Chris Blunden got to it. After 384 minutes without conceding a goal, Leverstock finally let one in as the visitors swung in a 24th minute corner and Clayton Afonso had a free header to put his side into a 1-0 lead.

There could have been a second goal three minutes later as Ayub Albadri had a run at goal, but man of the match Josh Mollison came off his line to make the first of a number of crucial saves. There was a chance for an equaliser on 29 minutes when Luke Beckwith’s cross found Lewis Collins in space, but his header was saved by Pereira, who also saved again five minutes later when Alvin Kyemereh got his head to a cross from Dan Weeks.

A minute later Mollison made another great save to keep out a shot from Albadri, but on 37 minutes a foul in the box by Brad Robinson gave St Panteleimon a penalty. Dean Morgan made no mistake from the spot to put the visitors 2-0 up and in control. Two more crucial saves from Mollison in the closing minutes of the half meant that Leverstock were at least still within touching distance as the half time whistle blew.

Leverstock had some promising attacks early in the second half, but the goal that got them back in the match in the 59th minute came from a free kick on the edge of the D. Blunden hit another great strike which was too hot for Pereira to hold onto, and Beckwith followed in to head the rebound over the keeper and pull the score back to 2-1.

There could have been an equaliser in the 67th minute when a cross from Lewis Collins found Kyemereh just outside the six yard box. The defender made great contact with his shot, but it was straight at Pereira. Leverstock suffered their first injury blow in the 77th minute when Ibrahim Nagheeb had to come off with a groin injury.

Morgan had a great chance to clinch the game for the visitors in the 82nd minute, but somehow hit his shot over the bar from close range. However Leverstock’s chances of saving the game suffered a further blow in the 88th minute when George Mitchell-Gears had to be carried off the pitch, and with all three subs already used they were down to ten men.

St Panteleimon still held their slender lead going into stoppage time, but Leverstock did not give up battling. As the game went into the fourth minute of stoppage time they had the ball in the visitors’ penalty area, but no-one could work a shooting chance, until it rolled out to the edge of the area, where Rio Beach met it with the sweetest of strikes that took a deflection off a defender’s shoulder on its way into the top corner of the net.

The jubilation was deserved for a much-improved second half display, and both teams will be in the hat for Monday’s First Round Qualifying draw before the replay on Wednesday night. Leverstock will go into the game with a stretched squad, with neither Nagheeb and Mitchell-Gears standing any chance of recovering in time.

Leverstock Green (0) 2 (Beckwith 59, Beach 90+4)
1. Josh Mollison, 2. Brad Robinson (18. Luke Durnin 54 mins), 3. Rio Beach, 4. Dan Weeks, 5. Alvin Kyemereh, 6. Ryan Carruthers, 7. Lewis Collins, 8. Ibrahim Nagheeb (20. Scott McGleish 77 mins), 9. Chris Blunden, 10. George Mitchell-Gears, 11. Luke Beckwith (12. Elgeniy Daalberg 67 mins). Subs not used: 14. Kai Stonnell, 15. Sean Walsh, GK. Darren Bonfield.
St Panteleimon (2) 2 (Afonso 24, Morgan 37 pen)
1. Diego Pereira, 2. Renzo Alves, 3. Brad Gilmaney (19. Clayton Afonso 14 mins), 4. Alex Androutsos, 5. Michael Frangeskou (13. Ben Dunkwu 84 mins), 6. Joao Praes, 7. Ahmed Doukhi, 8. Jonathan Moura, 9. Dean Morgan, 10. Guilherme Monti, 11. Ayub Albadri (18. Courtney Massay 68 mins). Subs not used: 12. Lucas Totti, 16. Emerson Silva, 17. George Androutsos, 20. Marco Gerimia.

vs

(H) London Colney

Leverstock Green’s winning start continued, as a single goal from Alvin Kyemereh was enough for a hard-fought 1-0 home win over a good London Colney side on a night that saw some much-needed rain at the Lords Builders Merchants Stadium. Fergus Moore’s side have still not conceded a goal in a competitive match, and they are the last remaining side in the SSML Premier Division to have not conceded.

Leverstock had the best of the early play, with Brad Robinson sending over an excellent cross to the far post in the 4th minute which was headed wide by George Mitchell-Gears.

Man of the Match Mitchell-Gears was unlucky in the 15th minute as he struck a fierce shot from 20 yards which was brilliantly tipped onto the bar by Colney keeper Harvey Simson, and the rebound went just over the head of Chris Blunden. Two minutes later it was the visitors’ turn to be unlucky as a shot from Patrick Akwasi-Bronyan struck the base of the post.

Mitchell-Gears was denied by Simson again in the 20th minute as his shot was turned around the post. Four minutes later a cross from Robinson found Blunden in the box, but he couldn’t quite work a shooting position and ended up hitting the ball across the face of goal with no-one there to apply the finishing touch.

Ibrahim Nagheeb was next to have a shot at goal on 30 minutes, with a curling effort that went a yard wide. Two minutes later at the other end Akwasi-Bronyan had another great chance but hit the ball straight at Josh Mollison from close range. On 34 minutes Lewis Collins had a run into the box but put the ball over the bar from a narrow angle. Half time was reached with the game goalless and Leverstock having been frustrated by some strong defending from the visitors.

The breakthrough finally came five minutes into the second half. Nagheeb floated a corner to the back post, where Mitchell-Gears headed it back across goal, and Alvin Kyemereh was there to head home his second goal in four days to put Leverstock into a 1-0 lead.

Leverstock continued to push forward, with Collins hitting a shot just wide after a solo run on 52 minutes, and Mitchell-Gears heading wide from a Luke Beckwith cross two minutes later. In the 58th minute Colney had a free kick in a dangerous position, but Pijus Montvydas shot wide of the target. There were more chances for the Green side. On 71 minutes a great pass from Robinson put Blunden through, but his shot was saved by Simson. Three minutes later Collins hit a shot which Simson couldn’t hold onto, but he was able to smother Blunden’s effort from the rebound. In stoppage time a pass from Blunden gave Sean Walsh a run at goal, but instead of shooting Walsh opted to play a square pass to Elgeniy Daalberg, who was offside.

The game threatened to boil over during stoppage time, with yellow cards shown to both sides, but Leverstock held out for the win, which still leaves them in third place in the table, behind the other two teams with 100% records on goal difference. They now take a break from league action to focus on Saturday’s FA Cup tie against St Panteleimon.

Leverstock Green (0) 1 (Kyemereh 50)
1. Josh Mollison, 2. Brad Robinson, 3. Rio Beach, 4. Dan Weeks, 5. Alvin Kyemereh, 6. Ryan Carruthers, 7. Lewis Collins (16. Sean Walsh 88 mins), 8. Ibrahim Nagheeb, 9. Chris Blunden, 10. George Mitchell-Gears, 11. Luke Beckwith (12. Elgeniy Daalberg 76 mins). Subs not used: 14. Alfie Herd, 15. Kai Stonnell, 20. Scott McGleish.
London Colney (0) 0
1. Harvey Simson, 2. Ryan Wele, 3. Freddie Newing, 4. Joe West (12. Eric Sowonola 80 mins), 5. Saeed Yusuf, 6. Jake Clarke, 7. Gael Muyonge (15. Kinuthia Muriu Gakonga 80 mins), 8. Alfie Thompson (17. Jamie Samuel Clarke 68 mins), 9. Ricardo Milasius, 10. Pijus Montvydas, 11. Patrick Akwasi-Bronyan. Subs not used: 14. Danny Fowler, 16. Andy Morris.

George Mitchell-Gears, selected as Man of the Match by match sponsor Jamie Herd.

vs

(H) Halstead Town

Leverstock Green continued their perfect start to their competitive season with a second win and a second clean sheet. Fergus Moore’s side enjoyed a more comfortable than expected win over Essex Senior League side Halstead Town to progress into the Preliminary Round of the Emirates FA Cup, where they will be at home to fellow SSML Premier Division side St Panteleimon in two weeks time.

Leverstock went into the game with an unchanged starting lineup from Tuesday night’s win, and the opening 15 minutes of the game was somewhat cagey with neither side creating a chance. However, the Green side made the breakthrough in the 20th minute with an excellent goal, as skipper Ibraham Nagheeb ran to the bye-line and delivered a pin-point cross to the far post, where George Mitchell-Gears came in to head home his first competitive goal for the club.

The lead was almost doubled two minutes later as Ryan Carruthers hit a shot from distance that went over the bar. The visitors should have been level in the 28th minute when Calvin Poku seemingly had the goal at his mercy from close range, but shot over the bar when it looked easier to score.

It was Leverstock that were on top, though, with Nagheeb being denied by Halstead keeper Jack Cherry, who tipped his shot over the bar in the 30th minute. On 36 minutes a superb pass from Mitchell-Gears put Luke Beckwith in behind the defence but he shot wide. In first half stoppage time Mitchell-Gears just failed to get on the end of a cross from Alvin Kyeremeh.

Leverstock went in at half time with a narrow 1-0 lead, which did not reflect how much they had been on top, but they continued to impress in the second half. On 50 minutes Mitchell-Gears just failed to get on the end of another cross, this time from Ethan Mooney. Beckwith had a run at goal and shot wide on 53 minutes, and a minute later Carruthers hit a shot from the edge of the box that went inches over the bar.

There were further chances for Chris Blunden and Mooney on the hour which didn’t go in, as the home support began to wonder whether their side would pay for their missed chances. The visitors had a chance to equalise on 63 minutes as Poku got on the end of a cross, but his shot was deflected wide by a great block from Luke Durnin. Leverstock had their best chance yet to double their lead when Nagheeb was brought down by a trip inside the box, and the referee awarded a penalty. Blunden stepped up to take the kick, and made no mistake, sending the keeper the wrong way to finally put Leverstock 2-0 up.

Lewis Collins came close to adding a third goal in the 85th minute, hitting a shot across goal and wide after a mazy run into the box. With all three subs having been used, Leverstock had a problem over the closing minutes as Durnin picked up a groin injury. Rather than go down to ten men, Durnin was moved up front with Carruthers taking his place in the back four. Three minutes into stoppage time the Green side broke away from a Halstead attack, and Rio Beach ran the ball down to the bye-line before floating over a cross, which found none other than Durnin, who had made his way slowly from the halfway line to be in place to head home a third Leverstock goal from a yard out.

It was a well-deserved win for the Leverstock side, who played some excellent football throughout the afternoon and can now look forward to another home tie on Saturday 20th August.

Leverstock Green (1) 3 (Mitchell-Gears 20, Blunden 67 pen, Durnin 90+3)
1. Josh Mollison, 2. Brad Robinson, 3. Rio Beach, 18. Luke Durnin, 5. Alvin Kyeremeh, 6. Ryan Carruthers, 7. Ethan Mooney (14. Lewis Collins 61 mins), 8. Ibrahim Nagheeb, 9. Chris Blunden (12. James Collins 80 mins), 10. George Mitchell-Gears, 11. Luke Beckwith (15. Elgeniy Daalberg 68 mins). Subs not used: 16. Alfie Herd, 17. Sean Walsh, 19. Dan Weeks, GK Oscar Frost.
Halstead Town (0) 0
1. Jack Cherry, 2. Ryan Carter (17. Joe Vogler 85 mins), 3. Matt Travell, 4. Matt Coppen, 5. Jack Schelvis, 18. Joe Thomas (16. Mark Dallinger 74 mins), 7. Jordan Blackwell, 8. Jake Brown, 9. Calvin Poku, 10. Jordan Palmer, 11. Adam Hampson (12. Louis O’Sullivan 74 mins). Subs not used: 14. Nick Miller, 15. Joe Jones.

vs

(H) Tring Athletic

vs

(H) Risborough Rangers

Leverstock Green got their Spartan South Midlands Premier Division season off to a fantastic start with three points thanks to a dramatic late free kick from Chris Blunden. After a pre-season in which they had conceded goals left, right and centre, they might have been expected to struggle against last season’s runners-up, who only lost three games last season, but the whole team turned in a tremendous performance of courage, shape and discipline to keep the game tight and then win it at the death.

At the centre of the Green defence were two new signings in Luke Durnin and Alvin Kyeremeh, who hadn’t played together before but looked assured throughout the game. It wasn’t a happy return to Pancake Lane for keeper Alfie Bonfield, who lined up against his former side having made the switch to Risborough in the summer.

Leverstock had the game’s first effort at goal in the 5th minute, with Luke Beckwith hitting a shot from outside the box just wide. At the other end in the 13th minute veteran striker Jefferson Louis headed just wide from a free kick. Four minutes later Curtis Brown had a run at goal for the visitors but was well shepherded by Kyeremeh.

Leverstock had another good chance in the 30th minute when a cross from Ethan Mooney went over the head of a defender and found Beckwith, who got to the bye-line and put the ball across the face of goal, but no-one was on the end of it. The half ended with Louis hitting a shot just wide for Risborough.

Three minutes into the second half George Mitchell-Gears had an effort at goal from the edge of the box which flew just over the bar. In the 58th minute a Risborough free kick caused problems inside the Green six-yard box, but a save from keeper Josh Mollison and the woodwork kept the game goalless. A minute later Leverstock broke away and were only denied when a shot from Mooney was tipped over the bar by Bonfield.

There was another chance in the 72nd minute when a great pass from Rio Beach put Mitchell-Gears in behind the defence, but his lob over Bonfield also went over the bar. Risborough were denied again in the 81st minute when Mollison pulled off a superb save to tip a header from Louis which bounced up off the ground over the bar. Four minutes later a Risborough free kick found Gavin James free at the far post but his header was straight into Mollison’s arms.

Leverstock had done enough to earn an honourable draw, but things were about to get even better. Two minutes from time a foul on skipper Ibrahim Nagheeb presented them with a free kick 30 yards out in the centre of the pitch. The stage was set for Blunden to produce one of his trademark free kicks, and he did not disappoint. Blunden’s chip shot flew over the wall and dipped under the bar and over the despairing reach of Bonfield into the net to send the Leverstock support into ecstacy.

There could have even been a second goal a minute later as Leverstock broke away again, and Mitchell-Gears set up Blunden with a shot which deflected wide off the boot of a defender. The single goal proved to be enough, though, as the Green side held out comfortably over four minutes of stoppage time to claim a very impressive result and a deserved clean sheet.

Attention now turns to the Emirates FA Cup, and the visit of Essex Senior League side Halstead Town in Saturday’s Extra Preliminary Round tie.

Leverstock Green (0) 1 (Blunden 89)
1. Josh Mollison, 2. Brad Robinson, 3. Rio Beach, 4. Alvin Kyeremeh, 18. Luke Durnin, 6. Ryan Carruthers, 7. Ethan Mooney (14. Lewis Collins 79 mins), 8. Ibrahim Nagheeb, 9. Chris Blunden, 10. George Mitchell-Gears, 11. Luke Beckwith. Subs not used: 12. Sean Walsh, 15. James Collins, 16. Alfie Herd, 20. Scott McGleish.
Risborough Rangers (0) 0
1. Alfie Bonfield, 2. Bertie Squires-Adams, 3. Joshua Fox, 4. Ben Sturges, 5. Josh Urquhart, 6. Ellis Hercules, 7. Asher Yearwood, 8. Kieran Schmidt, 9. Jefferson Louis, 10. Liam Enver-Marum (17. Gavin James 79 mins), 11. Curtis Brown (16. Harry Scot 69 mins). Subs not used: 12. Jordan Heggie, 14. Bailey Osborne, 15. Harvey Nicholls.

vs

(H) Totternhoe

Leverstock Green concluded their pre-season programme with a home defeat to SSML Division Two side Totternhoe. Varying degrees of player unavailability and injuries have meant that the pre-season preparation has been more disjointed than Fergus Moore would have liked, but there are still plenty of positives to take into their league opener against Risborough Rangers on Tuesday night, particularly the performance of centre back Luke Durnin in his first game.

Leverstock almost took the lead in the 20th minute when a free kick from Chris Blunden brought a save out of the visiting keeper. Luke Beckwith was first to the rebound but put it over the bar. Within a minute the ball was at the other end and Totternhoe had taken the lead. In the 29th minute a pass from Beckwith put Sean Walsh through on goal, but he was denied by the keeper. However, shortly afterwards Blunden found the space on the edge of the penalty area to hit a low shot that levelled the scores. Ethan Mooney hit the woodwork with a cross in the 36th minute.

Avoidable goals in the 47th and 65th minute put the visitors into a 3-1 lead, however a superb long-range strike from Ibrahim Nagheeb pulled a goal back in the 71st minute.

Starting XI: 1. Josh Mollison, 2. Alfie Herd, 3. Rio Beach, 4. Brad Robinson, 19. Luke Durnin, 6. Sean Walsh, 7. Ethan Mooney, 8. Ibrahim Nagheeb, 9. Chris Blunden, 10. George Mitchell-Gears, 11. Luke Beckwith. Subs used included: Lewis Nicholls, Ryan Carruthers, Callum Moore, James Collins, Billy Mardell-Smith, Kurainashe Musanhi.

vs

(H) Baldock Town

vs