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Leverstock Green F.C.

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

(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.

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(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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