Leverstock Green continued their pre-season preparation with a game against Combined Counties League side Kensington & Ealing Borough on Saturday. It was a competitive game against good opposition and ended as a 1-1 draw.

Leverstock thought they had a penalty in the 7th minute when new signing Ollie Lawford was brought down by the visiting keeper on the edge of the box, but the officials judged it outside. From the resulting free kick Dan Weeks headed just over the bar. In the 26th minute a shot from Adiel Mannion hit the post, and two minutes later Kane O’Neil went on a run down the right and squared across goal, but Lawford couldn’t quite connect with it at the far post.

There were more chances in the last five minutes of the first half. A cross from Luke Peerless found Lawford at the far post, but his shot brought a great point-blank save out of the keeper, who also blocked a backheeled attempt on the rebound from Lawford. Two minutes later a cross from Weeks found Peerless at the back post, but again the keeper did well to block it.

It was the visitors who had the first chance of the second half, with a shot across the face of goal which the incoming forward just failed to connect with in the 49th minute. However, it was the Green who took the lead in the 55th minute with a tremendous strike from Jake Williamson into the top corner of the net from 20 yards out. Frankie Jowle almost made it 2-0 five minutes later with an audacious lob from distance but it went just over the bar.

The visitors went close again on 64 minutes with a shot that hit the bar, and the rebound being put across the face of goal and wide. On 72 minutes the Green defence was lacking as the visiting 10 was allowed to run too far with the ball and eventually hit a great shot from the edge of the box past Adi Connolly to level the scores at 1-1.

The visitors went closest to winning the game as they hit the woodwork for the second time on 78 minutes as a lob over Connolly hit the post, while in the final minute Leverstock went close again as a shot from Nabil Seodi went across goal and wide.

Starting XI: Adi Connolly, Kane O’Neil, Charlie Milton, Jack Stevens, Dan Weeks (capt), John Smith, Luke Peerless, Jamie Fulton, Adiel Mannion, Frankie Jowle, Ollie Lawford.
Subs used: Jake Williamson, Luis Brooker, Lucas Preston, Nabil Seodi, Lewis Rodrigoe, Zak Howells, Harry Barrett.

Leverstock Green registered their second straight pre-season win as they beat Ampthill Town 3-1 in Saturday’s game at Pancake Lane.

The Green side took the lead in the third minute, as Adiel Mannion got to the bye-line and delivered a cross to the far post, where the incoming Kane O’Neil turned the ball home.

It was 2-0 in the 8th minute, as Charlie Milton’s pass from the back put Frankie Jowle clean through to slot home past the keeper.

Steve Hawes was denied a third goal in the 18th minute when his shot from the edge of the box brought a great save out of the keeper to turn it away. Ampthill got themselves back into the game with an excellent shot from the edge of the box in the 34th minute.

However, Leverstock re-established their two-goal lead in the 41st minute. Kane O’Neil went on a driving run from the halfway line into the Ampthill box, only to be denied by a tackle, but the loose ball was swept home by Luke Peerless.

The second half saw fewer chances for both sides, but keeper Matt Fallon made a good save in the last minute of the game to keep the two-goal lead intact. Overall it was an excellent performance against a good side and will give the squad further confidence with the league opener just two weeks away.

Starting XI: Carl Tasker, Kane O’Neil, Dan Weeks (capt), Jack Stevens, Charlie Milton, Steve Hawes, Frankie Jowle, Ollie Cox, Luke Peerless, Adiel Mannion, Luis Brooker.
Second half subs: Matt Fallon, Jamie Fulton, Jake Williamson, Zak Howells, John Smith, Kai Stonnell, James Hall.

Next up for the Green side is a trip to Old Bradwell United on Thursday evening, with a 7pm kick-off.