Silver Jubilee Park

Edgware Town F.C.

Silver Jubilee Park,
Townsend Lane,
London,
NW9 7NE

(A) Edgware and Kingsbury

Edgware & Kingsbury win 4-2 on penalties.

Having come from two goals down and won a dramatic penalty shoot out in the FA Cup on Wednesday night, the boot was on the other foot for Leverstock Green this afternoon as they lost a two goal lead and went on to lose on penalties to exit the FA Vase at the first hurdle.

Fergus Moore, returning to the club which he managed for many years, had further injury problems today with Rio Beach dropping out, and suffered a couple more injuries during the game.

The early stages of the game saw Edgware on top, with a number of efforts on goal, but none of them on target. Their first shot on target was from a free kick in the 16th minute, but it was hit straight at Josh Mollison. Leverstock almost had a chance in the 21st minute when Dan Pett threaded a pass through to Chris Blunden, but a defender just got there first. Two minutes later Elgeniy Daalberg made a surging run from his own half before squaring to Pett, whose shot was saved. Daalberg’s game only lasted until the 31st minute, when he was forced off by an injury and replaced by Kai Stonnell.

The first half ended with the game goalless, but then there was a flurry of goals at the start of the second half. In the 48th minute Alvin Kyeremeh got on the end of a corner from Pett to head home and put Leverstock into a 1-0 lead with his third goal of the season. Barely sixty seconds later it was 2-0 as Sean Walsh delivered a cross from the right touchline which was turned home at the far post by Luke Beckwith. The keeper got a hand to Beckwith’s shot, but couldn’t stop it squeezing just inside the post.

Having got their 2 goal lead, though, the Green side switched off somewhat and Edgware fought back strongly. They almost pulled one back in the 52nd minute when a shot from close range hit the bar. Four minutes later they were back in game as Caoilan McGettigan hit a shot from distance which flew in off the post. And in the 58th minute it was back to all-square as McGettigan ran through the Green defence and hit a shot which went in off the far post.

After four goals in ten minutes, the game began to quieten down, with both teams starting to look tired after having played 120 minutes in midweek FA Cup replays. The best chance that Leverstock had to win the game was two minutes from the end when Scott McGleish, despite being on the ground, managed to knock a pass through to Blunden, but the keeper pulled off a great save from point-blank range to keep the scores level.

With no extra time in the Vase, the game went straight to penalties after 90 minutes. Niko Popov got Edgware off to a good start with the opening kick, but Blunden, having netted his kick on Wednesday, saw his opening kick saved. Edgware’s second kick by Matt Shaw was saved by Mollison, but Leverstock failed to take advantage as Ryan Carruthers, also successful on Wednesday, blasted his kick today over the bar. From then on all the kicks were scored, with Craige Tomkins putting Edgware 2-0 up, Luke Durnin pulling it back to 2-1, Adrian Okoro making it 3-1, McGleish pulling back to 3-2 before Toju James scored the kick that won the shootout for Edgware 4-2.

It is a first defeat of the season for Leverstock, who will have a well-earned rest during the week and will hopefully get some of their injured players back for next Saturday’s FA Cup glamour tie at Billericay Town.

Edgware & Kingsbury (0) 2 (McGettigan 56, 58)
13. Donnabhan Green, 2. Michael Dapaah (12. Toju James 78 mins), 3. Matt Shaw, 4. Alieu Kamara, 5. Yannick Bitsindou, 6. Dan Taylor, 7. Adrian Okoro, 8. Niko Popov, 10. Samir Sedaoui, 11. Caoilan McGettigan, 21. Craige Tomkins. Subs not used: 1. Paul Woods, 14. Solomon Ofori, 15. Kai Scarlett, 16. Janarn Bernard, 17. Daniel Javanmard, 18. Carlos Bain.
Leverstock Green (0) 2 (Kyemereh 48, Beckwith 49)
1. Josh Mollison, 2. Brad Robinson, 4. Dan Weeks, 18. Luke Durnin, 5. Alvin Kyeremeh, 6. Ryan Carruthers, 7. Elgeniy Daalberg (17. Kai Stonnell 31 mins), 8. Dan Pett, 9. Chris Blunden, 10. Sean Walsh (12. Robin Emanuels 90+2 mins), 11. Luke Beckwith (20. Scott McGleish 67 mins). Subs not used: 14. Kurainashe Musanhi, 15. Adam Page, 16. Raheem Khan, GK. Austin Byfield.

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(A) Edgware Town

Leverstock Green were beaten 2-1 in Saturday’s SSML Premier Division visit to Edgware Town. The Green side mounted a late recovery but it was not quite enough to pull back a two-goal deficit. It was a disappointing match overall, with the strong wind certainly not helping the players of either side, and Edgware deserved the points based on the number of chances they created.

The game’s first shot came in the 10th minute when Steve Hawes hit a shot from distance over the bar, but it was the home side who had the game’s first efforts on target two minutes later. Adam Page squared the ball to set up a chance for Theo Ofori, whose shot was turned round the post by a good save from Matt Fallon. From the resulting corner Fallon was in action again, palming away a strong header from Mark Burgess. Another corner was the result, and this time Burgess headed wide.

Keeping the ball down was a problem, as Ofori found on 21 minutes when he skied a free kick from a dangerous position well over the bar, and four minutes later Green skipper John Smith had a shot from long distance which was closer to the target, but still over the bar. Fallon had to save again to turn away a shot from Eisa Azab in the 37th minute, and in the last minute of the half Ollie Cox had Leverstock’s third effort from distance, but again it went over the bar.

Edgware had the wind and the slope in their favour in the second half, and in the opening minute Ofori hit the post with a cross-cum-shot from a narrow angle. The game continued to be largely even until the hour mark, when Edgware opened the scoring with the simplest of goals. Rio Beech delivered a ball straight down the middle from his own half, and Azab ran onto it and sent a shot over Fallon into the corner of the net.

Leverstock felt they had a case for a penalty four minutes later when Jamie Ovington appeared to be elbowed when going for a header from a corner. The referee gave nothing, even after consulting his linesman, but Ovington had to leave the game with a head injury.

A second Edgware goal in the 75th minute put them firmly in control. A shot from Page brought another good save from Fallon, but Ofori was unchallenged as he went in to net the rebound.

Over the last ten minutes the Green finally started to look like scoring. In the 80th minute a great effort from Cox struck the bar. Two minutes later Leverstock had a penalty, the referee spotting a push as a corner came over. Jack Stevens put the penalty away to put Leverstock back in the game. Their best chance of pulling level came in the 87th minute with a free kick in a dangerous central position, but Luke Peerless’ effort dipped just over the bar. Some more good saves from Fallon at the other end ensured that the Green were still in the game over a lengthy period of stoppage time, but they were unable to find the equaliser.

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(A) Hendon

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(A) Edgware Town

Leverstock Green’s winless run continued as they were beaten 3-1 at Edgware Town in Saturday’s SSML Premier Division fixture.

The game could hardly have started any better for the Green side as they were ahead inside two minutes through a stunning long-range strike from Mark Smith, who was 30 yards out and near the right touchline, but found the top corner of the net.

The home side responded well, though, and almost levelled in the 11th minute when a pass from Ryan Carruthers set up Steven Benavides with a clear shooting chance, but his shot hit the bar. Three minutes later Tyriq Hunte had the ball in the net for Edgware but it was ruled out for offside. A long-range effort from Hunte brought a save out Green keeper Nathan Pickworth in the 21st minute.

Two minutes later Leverstock almost doubled their lead when Reece Cameron, back for another spell at the club, hit a shot just wide. Within a minute pressure from the Leverstock frontline forced an error out of Edgware keeper Connor Beattie, who gave the ball away to Jay Kossifos, who tried to chip into the empty net but it went just wide.

There was another chance for Hunte in the 27th minute, who was clean through but was denied by a save from Pickworth. However, in the 39th minute Edgware finally got their equaliser as Benevides drilled a shot from just outside the box which Pickworth got a hand to, but couldn’t stop going into the bottom corner of the net.

In the last minute of the half there was another chance for the Green as home defender Paul Marks tried to see the ball out over the goal-line, but Cameron nipped in to win the ball and cut back out to get a shot at goal, but it went into the side netting. In stoppage time Edgware went close again with Hunte hitting a fierce shot just wide.

Four minutes into the second half Leverstock had another near-miss as Cameron aimed a shot towards the top corner of the net, but Beattie pulled off a good save to turn it wide. Two minutes later at the other end Edgware won a corner. The ball was not cleared, and in the ensuing scramble Pickworth saved one effort, but George McCluskey headed home the rebound to put Edgware 2-1 up.

The remainder of the game was a disappointment from the Green side, as they had a number of promising build-ups, but weren’t able to get a serious effort on goal. There was a further blow on 73 minutes when the ball was given away in midfield, and Edgware immediately broke away, with Hunte being put clean through and all alone to slot home a third goal for his side.

It wasn’t until stoppage time that Leverstock managed to get a couple of shots at goal, but by then it was too late, and Edgware held on comfortably for a deserved win.

On Tuesday night Leverstock will be playing a friendly at Kings Langley. Next Saturday they are away to London Tigers in a league match.

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Edgware Town vs Biggleswade F.C.

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(A) Edgware Town

Leverstock Green’s push for a top 4 place suffered a setback as they were beaten 3-1 at Edgware Town in Saturday’s SSML Premier Division fixture. It was an evenly-contested game, but Edgware made the most of their chances while the Green side didn’t.

There was a blow for the Leverstock team before the match when skipper Shane Wood had to drop down to the bench due to a niggling knee injury being aggravated by the artificial surface at Silver Jubilee Park. Wood’s place was taken by Liam McCrohan, who himself was still getting over a knee injury and only lasted half the game.

There was almost a great start to the game for Leverstock as Jack Waldren curled in a cross to the far post for Matt Bateman, whose header hit the post with just 30 seconds on the clock. Leverstock dominated the early stages of the game, however it was Edgware who took the lead from their first real attack in the 9th minute, as Dan Pett hit a shot which beat Matt Evans and went in off the underside of the bar.

Leverstock had a chance for an equaliser in the 14th minute when Luke Marsh’s cross found Bateman at the far post. Bateman could have hit the shot first time, but chose to take a touch, which allowed keeper Cain Davies to get in a great challenge with his feet.

A stray pass on the halfway line led to Edgware’s second goal in the 21st minute as Steven Benevides intercepted and broke forward before laying off to set up Ryan Carruthers for a shot past Evans. Things got worse in the 34th minute as a missed challenge on the halfway line allowed Rio Beech to thread the ball through to Omololu Onabolu, whose shot seemed to take a deflection as Evans was wrongfooted as it went into the net for a third Edgware goal.

Leverstock needed a goal back quickly, and they got it three minutes later through a mistake at the other end. A poorly-taken Edgware free kick led to a Leverstock break and a foul on Bateman on the left edge of the Edgware box. Curtis Donaldson curled in the resulting free kick and Ross Adams headed home to reduce the arrears to 3-1.
Edgware had another chance in the 40th minute as two Green defenders collided with each other trying a cut out a long goal kick from Davies, leaving Ethan Mooney through, but he shot over the bar. Two minutes before the break Bateman had another chance when Adams flicked the ball through to him, but Davies saved his shot.

Bateman had another shot blocked in the opening minute of the second half, and in the 53rd minute Donaldson floated a free kick just wide of the far post. In the 62nd minute Donaldson burst through the middle and had only Davies to beat, but again the Edgware keeper produced a good save. On 71 minutes Leverstock had a free kick in a dangerous position just outside the box, but Donaldson’s effort took a deflection off a defender and went inches over the bar.

The second half was all Leverstock as Edgware were content to sit back on their lead, but the Green side were not able to create enough chances to get back into the game, and in the end the home side held out comfortably for the win.

Leverstock now face two games in five days against Colney Heath, firstly at home on Tuesday night, and then away next Saturday.

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(A) Edgware Town

Leverstock Green face a home replay in their FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round tie against Edgware Town on Tuesday night after a free kick deep into stoppage time denied them a win they would have very much deserved. As in Tuesday night’s match at Tring, Leverstock played some excellent football and created many chances, but again they did not get the goals that their dominance merited, leaving them vulnerable to a last-gasp stunner.

Former Luton Town goalkeeper Craig King, who has signed for Leverstock as a striker, took his place between the sticks today with no other keeper available, and his ability and experience in the position was evident throughout the match. The Green side created chances from early on in the game. In the 4th minute a corner went just over the head of skipper Shane Wood, back in the side after returning from holiday. Two minutes later a pass from Chris Marsh put Sam Nair through but Edgware keeper Cain Davies came out to save at his feet.

In the 11th minute Jonathan Lacey hit a fierce long-distance effort on the run which Davies did well to parry away, and seconds later Davies saved another effort from Ross Adams. In the 14th minute Lacey played a great ball out wide to Adams, who played it inside for Zak Howells, who shaped to shoot but instead squared for Nair, whose shot went wide.

There was an early injury blow as Alex Marsh had to leave the game in the 18th minute to be replaced by Luke Preedy, but in the 30th minute Leverstock finally got their deserved goal. A ball down the left touchline found Lacey, who beat a defender and cut inside before playing a low ball into the box for Ross Adams to slot home from six yards out.

It could have been two in the 36th minute when Lacey took the ball out of defence and played another great pass to put Nair through on goal, but his shot was kept out by Davies. A minute before the break a free kick from Casey Linsell again just eluded the head of Wood. Three minutes into first half stoppage time Lacey ran clear of the defence and squared the ball to set up David Lawrence with a great chance but Davies produced another wonderful save to keep it out with the last touch of the half.

Again, as at Tring on Tuesday night, Leverstock were not as impressive in the second half, although they still created enough chances to have won the game comfortably. Edgware had one of their few chances on 52 minutes when a blocked shot fell into the path of Mikkel James, who shot over the bar. It should have been 2-0 in the 65th minute when Chris Marsh floated in a free kick and Wood headed it across goal, but Lawrence somehow put the ball wide from a couple of yards out. Lawrence had another effort eight minutes later that went just over the bar.

In the 81st minute 16 year old substitute Mason Tunbridge almost clinched the game when he ran onto a pass from Howells and hit a shot which took a big deflection, but yet again Davies produced a miraculous save to keep it out. A minute later Lacey went close again, hitting a shot just wide after a solo run.

As the game went into stoppage time Leverstock still looked comfortable, although they did not take advantage of a couple of opportunities to take the ball into the corner and run the clock down. This came back to haunt them when the referee penalised a foul by Lewis Bowers to give Edgware a free kick a yard outside the box deep into stoppage time. King lined up his wall well enough, but they could do nothing to stop a great effort from Ethan Mooney, who curled the ball over the wall and in off the underside of the crossbar to rescue a draw and give his side another chance in the replay.

For Leverstock it was a draw that would have felt more like a defeat, but Scott Dash and Mark Royal must pick their side up and complete the job in Tuesday night’s replay, kick-off 7.30 pm at Pancake Lane.

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