(H) Kings Langley U18 Red

Leverstock Green U18

Kings Langley U18

(H) London Cheetahs

Leverstock Green Reserves pulled off a superb comeback on Tuesday night to keep their unbeaten league start intact. 2-0 down going into stoppage time, goals from Callum Moore and Connor McGinty rescued a 2-2 draw against London Cheetahs.

Starting XI:
Harry Maloret
Alex Vtornicov 🟨 🔻
Freddie Newing 🟨
Jose Costa
Jack Child
Reece Marchant 🔻
Connor McGinty ⚽
Raymond John 🔻
Callum Moore ⚽
Schilo Mateta Kanda 🔻
Ronnie Brennan

Substitutes:
Joe Dalli 🟢 (for John)
Ethan Horwood
Jack Evans 🟢 (for Marchant)
Rodger Siluba 🟢 (for Kanda)
Cole Riley-Snow 🟢 (for Vtornicov)

Leverstock Green Reserves

2 vs 2

London Cheetahs

(H) Heybridge Swifts

It was another frustrating day for Leverstock Green, who turned in an excellent performance against Isthmian North side Heybridge Swifts, but couldn’t put away the chances they created. A defensive lapse in the second half allowed the visitors to net an equaliser which means that Leverstock have to make the awkward journey to the Essex coast on Tuesday night for a replay of this Emirates FA Cup Preliminary Round tie.

It started well for Leverstock, who put away the first real chance they created in the 16th minute. Radu-Mihai Stefanoaica’s put Guiseppe Delgaudio clean through, and Delgaudio ran on to take the ball past keeper Callum Chafer before slotting into the empty net for a 1-0 lead.

In the 22nd minute Stefanoaica played a one-two with Callum Neal before running on to hit a shot from a narrow angle that was cleared off the line, with Leverstock having a very strong shout for a handball, but the referee waved away any protests. Heybridge offered little threat in the first half, with their best effort being a shot from Alfie Cutbush that went just over the angle of post and bar in the 32nd minute.

The second half saw Leverstock continue to play well and create chances. A pass from Neal in the 62nd minute put Stefanoaica in behind the visitors’ defence, but his eventual shot was straight at Chafer. Two minutes later an excellent cross from Stefanoaica found substitute Rawn Seale in space at the far post but Seale’s header went over the bar.

Leverstock were denied again in the 68th minute when a header from Josh Dooley was cleared off the line by Joseph Adewunmi and again four minutes later. A flick from Seale put Stefanoaica away down the right, and when Stefanoaica’s cross came over Seale was there to meet it but his shot was kept out by a great save from Chafer.

Despite the string of chances, Leverstock’s lead was still only a single goal, and in the 75th minute they were punished for a mistake at the back. Alfie Bonfield did very well to keep out a point-blank shot from Andrew Fennell, but could do nothing as Ben Allen netted the rebound for the Heybridge equaliser.

Just before the equaliser, summer signing Alie Bangura came off the bench for his Leverstock debut, and he was quickly in the action. On 81 minutes a pass from Seale put Bangura away down the left to make a dangerous run into the box, but his ball across the face of goal was just behind Lewis Collins. There was a golden opportunity to win the game in the 90th minute as Collins broke clear and set up a clear shooting chance for Dan Pett on the edge of the box, but Pett’s shot went wildly over the bar. A minute into stoppage time there was an equally clear opportunity for Heybridge to win the game as a cross found Fennell at the far post with a free header, but it went wide.

Both sides will go into the hat for Monday’s First Round Qualifying draw, and they will meet again at Scraley Road on Tuesday night.

Leverstock Green (1) 1 (Delgaudio 16)
1. Alfie Bonfield, 2. Callum Neal, 3. Jamie Breen, 4. Dan Weeks, 5. Josh Dooley, 6. Nat Connolly (14. Ryan Carruthers 83 mins), 7. Luke Beckwith (16. Lewis Collins 67 mins), 8. Dan Pett, 9. Guiseppe Delgaudio (18. Rawn Seale 59 mins), 10. Rio Beach, 11. Radu-Mihai Stefanoaica (12. Alie Bangura 74 mins). Subs not used: 16. Ethan Mooney, 17. Jaden Newman, GK. Darren Bonfield.
Heybridge Swifts (0) 1 (Allen 75)
1. Callum Chafer, 2. Jamie Bennett (9. Andrew Fennell 69 mins), 19. Chris Gregan, 4. Alfie Cutbush, 5. Joseph Adewunmi, 6. Danny Nesbitt, 10. Jack Adlington-Pile, 11. Emmanuel Osei-Owusu (12. Lester Ward 63 mins), 16. Luca Albon (8. Nicholas Brown H/T), 17. Ben Allen, 18. Samuel Adetiba (15. Scott Sloots H/T). Subs not used: 13. Rohan Taheny-Clarke, 14. Lewis Browne, 20. Toby Robinson.

Leverstock Green

1 vs 1

Heybridge Swifts

(H) Welwyn Garden City

Leverstock Green FC kicked off their first ever match at Step Four, and they made a good start as they took an early lead, but visitors Welwyn Garden City came back to take all three points despite being reduced to ten men before half time.

The visitors had the game’s first chance in the 12th minute from a corner, but Aiden Read’s header was headed off the line by Nat Connolly. Welwyn went close again in the 16th minute when a shot from Bailey Stevenson brought a good save from Alfie Bonfield. However, it was Leverstock who took the lead a minute later against the run of play. Leverstock broke away with Rawn Seale having a run at goal, and although Seale’s run was stopped by a defender, Ademide Baruwa won the ball back and beat a defender before slotting the ball neatly past keeper Donnabhan Green.

In the 29th minute Stevenson was denied again as his volley brought another great save from Bonfield. Six minutes later Leverstock were threatening again on the break as a pass from Luke Beckwith put Stefanoaica through on goal, but he couldn’t quite get full contact on his shot and it was gathered by Green. Five minutes before half time the visitors levelled the game as a free kick from Lewis Croucher found former Leverstock player Brad Wadkins at the far post, and Wadkins’ header was out of Bonfield’s reach and went in just inside the post.

There was drama in the last minute of the half as a loose ball from Ryan Kirwan put Rawn Seale through on goal, only to be stopped by a foul challenge from behind by Aiden Read. With Read being the last man, it was an easy decision for the referee to show Read a straight red card, and the visitors were reduced to ten men.

Leverstock Green FC were unable to take advantage of the extra man in the second half though, as is often the case the visitors seemed to play better with ten men. Stevenson should have put his side in front in the 47th minute, but shot over the bar from close range. Two minutes later a free kick from Dan Pett found the head of Callum Neal, but the header was just off-target.

The game could have gone either way at this point, but a crucial second goal for Welwyn in the 58th minute put them in control. Stevenson hit a thunderous shot from the edge of the box that gave Bonfield no chance for a 2-1 lead.

Beckwith twice went close to getting his side back in the game, firstly in the 63rd minute when his deflected shot was saved by Green, and again two minutes later when Seale set him up with a chance, but his shot was straight at Green. Substitute Guiseppe Delgaudio was through on goal in the 70th minute, but again his shot didn’t really test Green.

Wadkins came close to adding a third goal for Welwyn in the 78th minute, but his shot went just wide. The third goal eventually came in the 87th minute, and it was another shot from the edge of the box by Stevenson which took a deflection and looped up over Bonfield.

Despite putting some pressure on the visitors’ goal over the closing minutes, Leverstock Green FC were unable to get back into the game, with Pett coming closest deep into stoppage time with a shot that skimmed the side netting.

Leverstock Green FC (1) 1 (Baruwa 17)
1. Alfie Bonfield, 2. Callum Neal, 3. Rio Beach, 4. Josh Dooley, 18. Eyituoyo Akinbulumo, 6. Ademide Baruwa, 7. Luke Beckwith (15. Lewis Collins 78 mins), 8. Dan Pett, 9. Rawn Seale, 10. Nat Connolly (16. Guiseppe Delgaudio 69 mins), 11. Radu-Mihai Stefanoaica (17. Ethan Mooney 74 mins). Subs not used: 12. Jamie Breen, 14. Ryan Carruthers.

Welwyn Garden City FC (1) 3 (Wadkins 40, Stevenson 58, 87)
1. Donnabhan Green, 2. Zuriel Otseh-Taiwo, 3. Josh Bryant, 4. Alex Harris, 5. Aiden Read, 6. Ryan Kirwan, 7. Charlie McDonald, 8. Lewis Croucher (16. Ryan Ansell 83 mins), 9. Bailey Stevenaon, 10. Lucas Jordan (14. Henry Jones 72 mins), 11. Brad Wadkins. Subs not used: 12. Harold Poku, 15. Matty Whichelow, 17. Marc Weatherstone.

Leverstock Green

1 vs 3

Welwyn Garden City

(H) Oxhey Jets

Leverstock Green U18

Oxhey Jets U18

(H) Baldock Town

Leverstock Green FC progressed safely through to the Preliminary Round of the Emirates FA Cup with a 3-1 win over Baldock Town in Saturday’s Extra Preliminary Round tie. Baldock are familiar opposition from last season’s SSML Premier Division, and they caused the Green side a few problems in this tie, but Leverstock fought back from going behind to take the win.

Alfie Bonfield was back in the Leverstock goal after two seasons away, and his goal faced some early threat from a young Baldock side with a couple of speedy forwards. The first couple of attacks were thwarted, but in the 18th minute Josh Cross was allowed to run clean through to slot past Bonfield and put Baldock into a shock lead.

Leverstock Green FC were only behind for two minutes though. Luke Beckwith received a throw-in in the middle of the opposition half, and after pushing forward played a ball out to Callum Neal, whose shot from the edge of the box looked to have been cleared off the line by a defender, but the assistant referee flagged to indicate that the ball had crossed the line for the equaliser.

In the 25th minute Neal was causing problems in the Baldock half again, and laid a pass off to Rio Beach, who hit a tremendous low shot from the edge of the box into the corner of the net to put Leverstock into a 2-1 lead.

Leverstock Green FC still held their 2-1 lead at the end of a fairly even half, but early in the second half they pushed on. In the opening minute of the half Beckwith went on a mazy run into the box, but his shot was saved by former Leverstock keeper Tautvydas Poniskaitis. Three minutes later Beckwith had an even better chance when a pass from Ethan Mooney put him through on goal, but his shot was wildly over the bar. However, in the 57th minute Beckwith found the net in spectacular style, as his looping cross-cum-shot from outside the left edge of the penalty area flew over the outstretched arm of Poniskaitis for a 3-1 Leverstock lead.

Substitute Radu-Mihai Stefanoaica could have added a fourth in the 64 minute when he was clean through, but Poniskaitis did well to turn his shot wide. The keeper also kept out a late effort from Curtis Dibley with his legs as Leverstock were denied any further goals, but their lead did not come under threat.

Leverstock’s reward is a home tie against Isthmian League North side Heybridge Swifts, who are managed by West Ham United legend Julian Dicks, in two weeks time. The result is also a confidence booster going into their historic first ever Southern League match next Saturday at home to Welwyn Garden City.

Leverstock Green FC (2) 3 (Neal 20, Beach 25, Beckwith 57)
1. Alfie Bonfield, 2. Callum Neal (14. Josh Dooley 85 mins), 3. Jamie Breen (16. Dan Pett 73 mins), 4. Dan Weeks, 19. Eyituoyo Akinbulumo, 6. Ademide Baruwa, 7. Ethan Mooney (12. Lewis Collins 60 mins), 8. Rio Beach, 9. Jaden Newman (17. Radu-Mihai Stefanoaica 53 mins), 10. Nat Connolly, 11. Luke Beckwith (15. Curtis Dibley 85 mins). Subs not used: 18. Sam Doolan, GK. Darren Bonfield.
Baldock Town FC (1) 1 (Cross 18)
1. Tautvydas Poniskaitis, 2. Vinny Clarke, 3. Cian Jelly (15. Fraser Findlay 64 mins), 4. Albert McGregor, 5. Sonny Gardner, 6. Harry Watson, 7. George Kingham, 8. Louie Carr (12. Ellis Coker 61 mins), 9. Josh Cross (17. Jack Young 57 mins), 10. Harry Dollimore (16. Aldo Petaigne 76 mins), 11. Remell Stirling (19. Riley Carr 67 mins). Subs not used: 14. Leon Coker, 21. Kian McAdam.