Leverstock Green were once again close to registering a crucial win in the Southern League Division One Central, but a late equaliser from Flackwell Heath meant they had to settle for their seventh draw of the season.

The starting lineup showed only two changes from Wednesday night’s win at Kidlington, one of them being a first start for Oliwier Fusiek, recently signed from Haringey Borough. The first half saw few chances for either side. In the 9th minute a Flackwell Heath free kick went across the face of goal and just eluded two players who were sliding in to finish. Alfie Bonfield made the first of several crucial saves in the 29th minute, keeping out a shot from James Ayres. The closest that Leverstock came in the first half was from a misdirected defensive header that had to be turned over his bar by visiting keeper Carl Dennison.

Three minutes into the second half it was Leverstock that took the lead, from a free kick awarded near the corner flag. Ryan Carruthers aimed directly at goal and it went straight in at the near post as Dennison could only help it into his own net.

Flackwell should have equalised four minutes later when a shot from Matthew Ayres deflected into the path of James Ayres, who had the goal at his mercy but slipped his shot across goal and wide. Leverstock were still holding onto their lead as the game went into the final ten minutes, but Flackwell were now pushing strongly. Bonfield made a good save from Lewis Patrick in the 83rd minute, however three minutes later a ball into the box found Callum Mapley, who hit a first time low shot that beat Bonfield and levelled the scores.

From there, Leverstock did well to hold out for the point under furious pressure from the visitors. Bonfield made some crucial saves, and his defence held firm with some important blocks and clearances.

Leverstock Green (0) 1 (Carruthers 48)
1. Alfie Bonfield, 2. Callum Neal (16. Adam Morley 75 mins), 3. Rio Beach, 4. Dan Pett, 5. Oliwier Fusiek, 6. Ryan Carruthers (14. Keanu Fleming 71 mins), 7. Jamie Breen (17. Marcus Warren 78 mins), 8. Ademide Baruwa, 9. Rawn Seale, 10. Nat Connolly, 11. Luke Beckwith (12. Lewis Collins 59 mins). Sub not used: 15. Daniel Isaac.
Flackwell Heath (0) 1 (Mapley 86)
1. Carl Dennison, 2. Kieran Jordan (16. Michael Harding 58 mins), 3. Lewis Patrick, 4. Lewis Pegg, 5. Callum Mapley, 6. Sean McGuinness, 7. Harrison Mepham, 8. Matthew Ayres (17. James Keeley 90 mins), 9. Jeffrey Fordjour (14. Abdellah El Jalaoui 75 mins), 10. James Mulley (15. Cory Hathaway 69 mins), 11. James Ayres (12. Philip Prior 70 mins).

Leverstock Green earned another battling point as they grabbed a late equaliser in Saturday’s Southern League Division One Central game at home to Enfield. Fergus Moore’s side need to start putting some wins on the board soon, but the manner in which this game was saved and nearly won will be a confidence booster for a side that is still missing several key players through injury.

There was little in the way of chances for either side in the first half. In the 18th minute Enfield’s Robert Clark hit a low shot which Alfie Bonfield had to turn round the post. Leverstock went close in the 25th minute when a cross from Callum Neal was brought down by Jamie Breen to set up Guiseppe Delgaudio for a shot on the swivel which hit the bar.

There was a 12 minute delay in the first half after Enfield’s Luke Clark sustained a head injury in a collision with Delgaudio. There was some concern at first, but after treatment Clark was able to walk off the pitch under his own steam.

A half time change saw Ryan Carruthers replace the injured Ademide Baruwa. Three minutes into the second half Leverstock found themselves behind through an unfortunate goal. A long goal kick from visiting keeper Lamar Joseph-Johnson deflected off a Leverstock player straight into the path of Sami Bessadi, who was clean through on goal and took the ball around Bonfield before slotting into the empty net.

Leverstock struggled to make any headway for a while, but after some more substitutions they made a strong finish to the game. They went close in the 79th minute when a cross from Carruthers just eluded the head of Delgaudio. Then in the 84th minute a great crossfield pass from Rawn Seale found substitute Lewis Collins in space on the right side of the penalty area with just Joseph-Johnson to beat, and Collins found the perfect finish into the bottom corner of the net to level the scores at 1-1.

It could have been even better for Leverstock in the final minute of stoppage time as a cross from Seale found Luke Beckwith a couple of yards out, but Beckwith couldn’t get his header on target and the Green side had to settle for the draw.

Leverstock Green (0) 1 (Collins 84)
1. Alfie Bonfield, 2. Callum Neal (16. Isaiah Hilaire 69 mins), 3. Rio Beach, 4. Dan Weeks, 5. Josh Dooley, 6. Ademide Baruwa (14. Ryan Carruthers H/T), 7. Jamie Breen (12. Luke Beckwith 62 mins), 8. Dan Pett, 9. Guiseppe Delgaudio, 10. Nat Connolly (15. Lewis Collins 75 mins), 11. Rawn Seale. Sub not used: 17. Freddie Newing.
Enfield (0) 1 (Bessadi 48)
1. Lamar Joseph-Johnson, 2. Benjamin Wyss, 17. Myles John, 5. Matthew Hurley, 6. Joe Babbage (7. Joni Vukaj H/T), 8. Robert Clark (12. Adem Yilmaz 90+5 mins), 3. Luke Clark (9. Kieran Southgate 45+3 mins), 10. Sami Bessadi (4. Sam Coombes 75 mins), 14. Jack Taylor, 11. Callum Taylor, 20. Bradley McClenaghan). Sub not used: 13. George Edgeworth.