A last-gasp header from Dan Weeks rescued a deserved point for Leverstock Green as they drew 1-1 with Wembley on a wet Saturday afternoon at Pancake Lane.

It was a much-improved performance from the previous week’s game against Oxhey Jets, with the Leverstock side making a promising start to the game. In the 4th minute Kai Stonnell pulled the ball back to set up a chance for Cass Grant, but his shot was blocked by a defender. On 13 minutes Ollie Cox swung over a free kick which Weeks got on the end of, but headed wide. Having had most of the play up to that point, Leverstock then found themselves a goal down a minute later. Jonathan Iley headed home a free kick from inside the six-yard box to put Wembley into a 1-0 lead.

Another Cox free kick in the 21st minute resulted in an almighty goalmouth scramble, but nobody could put the ball away. Cox had a shot from distance in the 27th minute which went wide, and on 32 minutes John Smith tried his luck from a free kick. The shot took a deflection off the wall but keeper Raheem Belgrave was able to gather it.

Leverstock’s best chance of an equaliser came in the 41st minute when the referee spotted an infringement as another Cox free kick was floated into the box. A penalty was awarded, and the usually reliable Smith stepped up to take it, but his spot-kick was turned away by Belgrave. Having had a let-off, Wembley had a great chance to double their lead a minute later, but Leandro Riberio-Mateus shot wide from six yards with the goal at his mercy.

The game continued to hinge around free kicks early in the second half. On 50 minutes Matt Fallon produced a good save to turn away Yassine Fehmi-Gil’s effort from just outside the box. Three minutes later Jamie Ovington got on the end of another Cox free kick, but his header was gathered by Belgrave. Wembley had another great chance to add a second goal on 65 minutes when a succession of passes across the penalty area ended with Stephen Ebonine again having the goal his mercy, but pulling his shot wide.

Wembley were still holding onto their lead as the game went into the final minutes. In the 89th minute a shot from Weeks was saved by Belgrave, and a minute later a cross from Weeks found Louie Griffiths at the far post but he couldn’t get his header on target. In the fourth minute of stoppage time Leverstock were awarded a free kick on the edge of the centre circle. Everyone except Fallon went up into the box as Cox floated the ball in, but it was Weeks who got his head on it and diverted the ball into the corner of the net for a superb equaliser.

There was barely time to restart the game before the referee blew the final whistle, as the Green team rescued a point that they had certainly deserved from the game as a whole.

Leverstock Green’s two-match winning run came to an end on a disappointing afternoon against an Oxhey Jets side containing five former Leverstock players. The Green side defended well, but created few chances in the game and were beaten by a single second half goal.

The first half was particularly short on chances for both sides, with Andrew Brennan coming close twice for the visitors with headers, the first being gathered by Matt Fallon in the 8th minute, and the second going wide in the 34th minute. Leverstock didn’t win their first corner until the 41st minute, and they were forced into a change before half time with the injured Bryn Rigarlsford being replaced by new signing Cass Grant, previously with London Colney.

Leverstock came closest to breaking the deadlock in the 56th minute when Jamie Ovington got on the end of a corner from Frankie Jowle, but his header hit the bar.

Oxhey made a substitution in the 61st minute, bringing on attacking player Nick Kerley for defender Scott Bonner, and that proved to be something of a turning point as two minutes later a ball forward found Kerley, who ran on before putting a low ball across goal which was deflected into his own net by John Smith.

Two more changes for Leverstock saw Jamie Fulton and Ollie Lawford enter the game, but chances were still at a premium. On 77 minutes a crossfield ball from Smith found Jowle, who beat a defender before pulling the ball back for Lawford, but his shot was blocked.

Leverstock pushed more players forward over the closing minutes, but it was the visitors who came closer to scoring on the break. Kerley hit a shot wide on 84 minutes, and had a shot saved by Fallon three minutes later. In the 89th minute Reece Cameron broke away and set up Kerley, but Fallon saved again, and again a minute later when Kerley returned the favour to Cameron.