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Leverstock Green F.C.

Pancake Lane,
Leverstock Green,
Hemel Hempstead,
Herts.
HP2 4NQ

(H) Oxhey Jets

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(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.

 

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(H) Evergreen

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(H) Totternhoe

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(H) Caddington

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(H) Bedford Town

Leverstock Green continued their buildup to their first season at Step 4 with a home friendly against Bedford Town, newly-promoted to Step 3 and managed by former Levy skipper Lee Bircham.

Just as in Tuesday night’s Herts Charity Cup tie, the Green side started slowly and conceded an early goal. There was only just over a minute played when the ball was played to forward to Leon Lobjoit, who placed a lob over the Leverstock keeper.

However, Leverstock began to settle down, and in the 18th minute Rawn Seale cut in from the left and hit a shot which brought a good save out of the Bedford keeper. The visitors doubled their lead in the 22nd minute when Carl Mensah had a free header from a corner, but two minutes later Leverstock reduced the deficit. A foul on Seale inside the box resulted in a penalty award for Leverstock, and Alie Bangura netted the spot kick to make it 2-1.

The remainder of the game was entertaining and closely-fought, although there were no further goals. Jaden Newman had Leverstock’s best effort on the hour mark, turning neatly inside the box but having his shot blocked wide a defender.

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(H) Hadley

Leverstock Green played their first competitive match as a Step 4 club as they faced Hadley in the first round of the Herts Charity Cup, and it was a harsh lesson in what football at this level will be like. Hadley will be one of Leverstock’s opponents in the Southern League Division One Central, and they were two goals up before the Green side had even begun to find their feet.

Right from the kick-off Leverstock lost the ball and were instantly punished as Billy Hayes played Isaac Stones in to put Hadley into the lead with just 15 seconds on the clock. The lead was doubled in the 5th minute as Leverstock gave the ball away in the opposition half and were quickly hit by a counter-attack. Finlay Aldridge broke down the left and delivered a cross which found Stones all alone in front of goal to shoot home the second goal.

Leverstock were unlucky not to pull a goal back in the 11th minute as a hooked shot from Alie Bangura hit the post, and for a while it looked as though they were settling into the game. However, in the 36th minute another sloppy piece of play at the back was ruthlessly punished as the ball was played forward to Stones, who took on and beat a player on the edge of the box before shooting home to complete his hat-trick in impressive style.

Hadley made two changes at half time, with Stones leaving the game, but it was only a good save from Leverstock keeper Alex Desmond that prevented them adding a fourth early in the second half. However, the second half was an improvement from the Leverstock side, who seemed to have taken some lessons on board in moving the ball around quicker, and did not concede any further goals. Nat Connolly hit a good effort from distance over the bar, and Jayden Newman went close from a corner in the final minutes, but the Green side were unable to pull a goal back.

It’s still relatively early in pre-season, and Leverstock had a number of key players missing this evening, so there is no cause for alarm and there were positives to take from the second half display.

Leverstock Green (0) 0
1. Alex Desmond, 2. Cem Poyraz (12. Jamie Breen 65 mins), 3. Rio Beach, 4. Dan Weeks, 18. Sam Doolan (17. Gary Connolly 49 mins), 6. Ryan Carruthers (15. Callum Neal 49 mins), 7. Alie Bangura, 8. Ademide Baruwa, 9. Guiseppe Delgaudio (16. Jaden Newman 72 mins), 10. Nat Connolly, 11. Luke Beckwith (14. Lewis Collins 58 mins).
Hadley (3) 3 (Stones 1, 5, 36)
1. Charlie Taylor, 2. George Alfieri (12. Billy Baird 56 mins), 3. Caoilan McGettigan, 4. Stefan Powell, 5. Tommy Boxer (14. Panny Boxer H/T), 6. Peter Rosemin, 7. Billy Hayes (16. Herbie Townsend 56 mins), 8. Solomon Sambou, 9. Isaac Stones (18. Cameron Ferguson H/T), 10. Jordan Edwards, 11. Finley Aldridge (17. Zack Uribarri 50 mins).

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