Leverstock Green played their first game under interim manager Scott Dash following the midweek departure of Paul Hunt, but they failed to stop their losing run as they went down 3-1 at home to a Sun Sports side managed by former Leverstock manager Tim O’Sullivan and containing several former Green players. It was an evenly-contested game throughout, but two second-half goals from former Leverstock striker Chris Blunden turned the game in Sun’s favour.

The first half saw plenty of effort from both sides, but not a lot of chances created. In the 15th minute Curtis Donaldson hit a shot just wide of the post after his first effort had been blocked, and Dominic David came closest to scoring for Sun in the 41st minute with a shot from the edge of the box that was turned wide by Liam Jahn.

Sun keeper Matt Evans had to produce his first important save in the 57th minute when Karl Davidson got on the end of a Jonathan Lacey corner with a good shot. Another corner produced a near-miss as Kendall Allen came in at the near post but couldn’t get his header on target.

The deadlock was broken on the hour, as a cross from the left found Blunden in the box, and he took on a couple of defenders before finding the space to hit a shot that went in off the post. The second goal came on 72 minutes as a corner was not cleared, and Blunden turned on the edge of the six-yard box before shooting low into the corner of the net.

There was hope of a Leverstock comeback when they pulled a goal back with seven minutes remaining. Donaldson’s pass put Brima Johnson through to slot the ball past Evans and reduce the deficit to 2-1.

However, the outcome was sealed a minute from time when Leverstock were caught on the break from their own corner. Another old boy Tommy Walsh brought the ball out of defence and played it forward to Blunden, who took on a defender before squaring to find David in acres of space to shoot home the third Sun goal.

A few key players were missing from today’s line-up, but it is hoped that Scott Dash will have the full squad to select from for next Saturday’s home match against one of the expected title contenders, Welwyn Garden City.

 

Leverstock Green suffered their second straight defeat on a night when the ball just would not go in the net for them. They had plenty of chances to have won this game comfortably, but a combination of off-target finishing, great saves by the visiting keeper and being caught on the break for a late goal meant that they came away with nothing against the side who were bottom of the league at start of play.

After a couple of early shots over the bar from Curtis Donaldson and Lewis Bowers, Leverstock’s first near-miss came in the 25th minute when a Tigers defender flicked a Donaldson free kick just wide of his own goal. Four minutes later Ryan Luke headed over the bar from a Donaldson cross. A minute later Bradley Hedges was through on goal but Tigers keeper Ini Amagebe pulled off his first save of the night to keep his shot out.

On 35 minutes Donaldson hit a free kick into the path of Bowers, but Amagebe pulled off a superb save, diving low to his left to keep out Bowers’ shot. At the other end a minute later the visitors had their first near-miss as Sebastian Philogene shot from the edge of the box through a crowd of players just wide. Soon after a shot from Bassem Belkhir which took a deflection brought Liam Jahn’s first save of the night.

On 39 minutes a crossfield ball from Donaldson found Louis Smith, who beat a defender to go through on goal, but Amagebe kept out his shot from a narrow angle. In the last minute of the half it was Donaldson who was denied by Amagebe, as his shot which was heading for the top corner was tipped over the bar.

The chances continued to come in the second half. Two minutes into the half Hedges shot over the bar from a pass by Luke. On 59 minutes Shane Wood slid in at the far post to meet a corner, but got underneath it and somehow put the ball over the bar from a yard out. A minute later Tigers showed they were still a threat on the break as Francisco Cabila went clean through on goal but Jahn pulled off a great save.

Donaldson was denied by Amagebe again on 65 minutes as his shot was turned away for a corner, and in the 85th minute there was a rare mistake from Amagebe as he flapped at a long throw from Wood, but Donaldson put the loose ball over the bar. Two minutes later Amagebe pulled off one of his best saves of the night to keep out a fierce shot from Brima Johnson.

Seconds later, however, Tigers were on the break again. Ferdinand Aguemon made a run down the left touchline deep into the Green half before laying off to Ali Soussi, who was allowed too much time and space to run into the box. Soussi was able to pick his spot before cleverly hitting a shot just to the left of a defender’s legs, catching Jahn unsighted as the ball flew into the net.

Even then there were further chances. In the 90th minute a cross from Jonathan Lacey was headed off the line by a Tigers defender. Tigers again broke quickly and Cabila was clean through but was denied by a great tackle from Zak Howells before he could shoot. Two minutes into stoppage time Ben Darby headed wide from a Lacey cross as Leverstock still could not find the net, and London Tigers were able to celebrate their first league win of the season.

Next up for the Green is a home match against Paul Hunt’s former club Sun Sports on Saturday.

Leverstock Green returned to winning ways after the disappointment of the midweek defeat to Wembley with a well-deserved three points against Hoddesdon Town on Saturday.

Paul Hunt was still missing Curtis Donaldson through injury, but had Shane Wood, George Biggadike and Lewis Bowers back in the side for this game. As with the meeting between the two clubs in the Premier Division Cup ten days ago, this was a game between two well-matched sides, which was reflected in a first half that produced few chances.

The best chance fell to Jonathan Lacey in the 25th minute, but he shot wide after a cross from Ross Adams had been headed down by Bowers. Three minutes before the break Bradley Hedges robbed Hoddesdon’s Brett O’Connor and ran at goal, but his shot was gathered by keeper Harry Smart. In the last two minutes of the half there were a couple of moments of danger in the Leverstock box as Connor Scully hit a shot just wide, and Fraser John delivered a ball into the six-yard box which was claimed by Liam Jahn.

A half-time change saw Karl Davidson come on for Bowers, and Davidson was heavily involved in Leverstock’s opening goal in the 52nd minute. Davidson ran at goal and hit a shot from the edge of the box which had Smart beaten but came back off the post. The rebound fell for Lacey, who showed the composure to slot the ball past Smart into the corner of the net.

Three minutes later Hedges beat several players in a determined run at goal, but shot over the bar. Leverstock were looking good value for their lead and were rarely being troubled at the back, but a bolt from the blue levelled the scores on 63 minutes. There seemed little danger when Jordan Watson had the ball in the Leverstock half, but he struck a low shot from almost 30 yards which left Jahn motionless as it flew into the bottom corner of the net.

However, Leverstock continued to look the better side, and they went back in front on 77 minutes. Zak Howells played a great pass to Lacey, who was careful to stay onside and went clean through to take the ball round Smart and slot into the empty net for 2-1. There could have been a third goal a minute later when Oliseh Okwudi was through on goal, but Smart deflected his shot wide.

Hoddesdon made a double substitution with four minutes left, and came close to levelling twice during five minutes of stoppage time, firstly when a ball from Watson flashed across the face of the Green goal, and in the final seconds when a header from Watson was tipped onto the bar by Jahn.

Paul Hunt was very pleased with the win, and with the excellent response his side showed to Tuesday’s defeat. Hunt also dedicated the win to outgoing chairman Brian Barter, who leaves the post on Monday.

Leverstock now sit in sixth place in the league, but they now turn their attention to the cups, with two away ties coming up in the next week. On Tuesday night they are away to Holmer Green in the first round of the Challenge Trophy, and next Saturday they travel to Harefield United in the second qualifying round of the Buildbase FA Vase.