Leverstock Green ended up on the losing side of a five-goal thriller on Tuesday night as Leighton Town came back from a 2-0 half time deficit to win 3-2. The Green side had an excellent first half and were well worth their lead, but a Leighton side containing a number of ex-Leverstock players was dominant playing down the slope in the second half.

There was little in the way of chances early on, with the first effort on target coming on 24 minutes from Dan Pett, making his debut in the Leverstock side tonight, with a shot from long range that was turned round the post by visiting keeper Connor Coulson. Five minutes later came the goal which put Leverstock into the lead. Ethan Mooney made a run down the left and delivered a cross which was not cleared by the Leighton defence, and Ollie Lawford pounced to lash home the loose ball.

Leighton had a chance on 34 minutes when Dave Parkinson’s pass allowed Danny Webb to take the ball round Green keeper Alfie Bonfield, but Webb’s shot from a narrow angle went across goal and wide. On 40 minutes Leighton went close again when Alfie Osborne got on the end of a corner with a header which was saved by Bonfield. Within a minute the ball was at the other end, and hesitancy in the Leighton defence allowed Rawn Seale to chip the ball over Coulson then run round and sidefoot the ball home for a 2-0 Leverstock lead.

Leighton made a change at half time with Ross Adams replacing Parkinson, and they looked more of a threat from the outset. They pulled a goal back in the 52nd minute through Tom Silford, who found himself through to slot home past Bonfield.

The scores were almost level in the 65th minute when Ashton Campbell hit a shot that went inches wide, but it was only a temporary respite, as a minute later Paul Marks was beaten on the left, the resulting cross was not cleared, and the ball ran through for Adams to fire home the equaliser against his former club.

Bonfield made a number of good saves during the second half, the best of which came on 73 minutes when he tipped a shot from Webb over the bar. However, the Leighton pressure continued to build, and the inevitable winner arrived on 82 minutes. Silford went past Brima Johnson on the left and crossed for Campbell to head home.

Leverstock had not been able to create any chances during the second half, and were unable to stage a late comeback of their own. It was still a good display against a team that are one of the title favourites, and Fergus Moore’s side must now seek to rediscover their winning ways with a run a six straight away games coming up.

Leverstock Green (2) 2 (Lawford 29, Seale 41)
Team: 1. Alfie Bonfield, 2. Brima Johnson, 3. Rio Beach, 4. Dan Weeks, 5. Paul Marks, 6. Kian Wilkes, 7. Ethan Mooney, 8. Dan Pett (12. Ryan Carruthers 74 mins), 9. Raw Seale (17. Scott McGleish 72 mins), 10. Ollie Lawford (14. Lewis Collins 67 mins), 11. Paplamin Jawara. Subs not used: 16. Elgeniy Daalberg, 18. Adrian Pitfield.

Leighton Town (0) 3 (Silford 52, Adams 66, Campbell 82)
Team: 1. Connor Coulson, 2. Joe Fitzgerald, 3. Tom Silford, 4. Ethan Flanagan, 5. Brian Foulger, 6. Alfie Osborne, 7. Luke Dunstan (15. Sonny Newbury-Barr 89 mins), 8. Jordon Frederick, 9. Dave Parkinson (14. Ross Adams H/T), 10. Danny Webb (19. Oran Swales 90 +3 mins), 11. Ashton Campbell. Subs not used: 16. Tom Bryant, 17. Ollie Cox.

Leverstock Green continued their excellent start to their league season, as they overcame Dunstable Town 3-0 at Pancake Lane on Saturday to record their third SSML Premier Division win from four matches. It was another disciplined and professional performance from Fergus Moore’s side and a well-deserved three points.

Rawn Seale had Leverstock’s first effort on goal in the 6th minute as he beat a defender on a run into the box but shot over the bar. The visitors hit the woodwork on 14 minutes when a cross from Tyler Fry struck the crossbar. A minute later there was something of a scramble inside the Dunstable box as firstly Ollie Lawford hit a shot which was blocked, and then the ball bounced up to Seale, who headed across goal and wide.

Seale brought a save out of visiting keeper Mo Elmasry on 22 minutes, hitting a shot which was blocked away by the keeper’s legs. Leverstock were getting closer, and two minutes later had a deserved lead. Ethan Mooney hit a shot from the edge of the box which Elmasry could only parry away, and Isiah Noel-Williams followed up to calmly slot home the rebound for the opening goal.

Seale was denied again by Elmasry from close range shortly afterwards, and Leverstock continued to have the better of things for the remainder of the half, but still only held a slender 1-0 lead at the break.

However, a strong start to the second half saw Leverstock take full control of the game. Seale went close again on 52 minutes when he used his pace to burst through on goal, but his shot was turned wide by Elmasry. Three minutes later Leverstock won another corner, and Ryan Carruthers’ cross dropped for Paul Marks at the far post. The skipper wasted no time in lashing the ball home from close range for the second goal.

Three minutes later a pass from Noel-Williams put Seale away down the right, and his eventual cross found Lawford in front of goal to slot home a third Leverstock goal.

Green keeper Alfie Bonfield had little to do in the second half, but pulled off a good save on 69 minutes to keep out a shot from Simon Richards and preserve his clean sheet. On 75 minutes there was a senior debut for Lewis Nicholls, who impressed in last season’s under-18 side.

Seale’s performance deserved a goal, and he should have got one in the 88th minute when a pass from Kian Wilkes put him clean through on goal, but his eventual shot was wide.

This was a result and performance which should give the side plenty of confidence going into difficult away games this week at Harefield on Tuesday and New Salamis next Saturday.

Leverstock Green (1) 3 (Noel-Williams 24, Marks 55, Lawford 58)
Team: 1. Alfie Bonfield, 2. Adrian Pitfield, 3. Rio Beach, 4. Paul Marks, 5. Brima Johnson, 6. Ryan Carruthers (12. Paplamin Jawara 66 mins), 7. Ethan Mooney (17. Lewis Nicholls 75 mins), 8. Kian Wilkes, 9. Rawn Seale, 10. Ollie Lawford (15. Mikkel James 73 mins), 11. Isiah Noel-Williams. Subs not used: 14. Scott McGleish, 18. Juliusz Pazio.

Dunstable Town (0) 0
Team: 1. Mo Elmasry, 2. Jamie Gill, 3. Kenny Appiah (12. Jeremiah Debayo 66 mins), 4. Bobby Armstrong, 5. John Sonuga, 6. Roy Byron, 7. Tyler Fry (16. Joe Mead 88 mins), 8. Manny Richardson, 9. Simon Richards, 10. Chris Stapleton, 11. Craig Packham (15. L’Kharmi Gale 61 mins). Subs not used: 14. Sam Gibson, 17. Drew Phillips.