The Meadow

Chesham United F.C.

The Meadow,
Amy Lane,
Chesham
HP5 1NE

(A) Aylesbury United

Leverstock Green are still looking for their first point in the Southern League after falling to a 1-0 defeat at Aylesbury United on Tuesday night, but they deserved at least a point after a second half display in which they were well on top and did everything but score.

The goal that turned out to be the winner was scored in the 5th minute of the game. Alfie Bonfield was off his line when Morrison Hashii hit a lobbed shot from 30 yards out, and Bonfield slipped as he tried to backpedal and couldn’t keep the ball out.

Leverstock came close to an equaliser in the 14th minute when good buildup play from Ethan Mooney and Rio Beach on the left set up Dan Pett for a shot which went just wide. Three minutes later Bonfield did well to deny Hashii from close range after the striker met a cross at the near post. There was another Leverstock chance in the 23rd minute as a pass from Pett put Luke Beckwith in on goal, but home keeper Jack Hopwood pulled off a one-handed save to keep out Beckwith’s shot.

The second half saw Leverstock much more on the front foot. The early introduction of Radu-Mihai Stefanoaica and Guiseppe Delgaudio gave them more presence up front, and Delgaudio had a half chance on 63 minutes from an Ademide Baruwa pass, but couldn’t get his shot on target. Four minutes later Josh Dooley got on the end of a Pett corner but his header was cleared off the line.

Jamie Breen came off the bench on 70 minutes and was another threat, giving the Leverstock side genuine width and pace, and he delivered a series of excellent crosses into the Aylesbury six-yard box, but nobody was able to apply the finishing touch.

Stefanoaica had his most threatening run at goal in the 90th minute, but his eventual shot took a deflection and was punched away awkwardly by Hopwood. Two minutes later Breen worked himself a shooting chance but was unlucky as Hopwood kept it out with his boot. Deep into a lengthy period of stoppage time there was a strong shout for a Leverstock penalty but nothing was given.

Aylesbury eventually held out for the win, but the Green side’s second half performance should give them confidence that goals and results will come soon.

Aylesbury United (1) 1 (Hashii 5)
1. Jack Hopwood, 2. Liam Batchelor-Morgan, 3. Jake Bewley, 4. Jack Wood, 5. Kian Henry, 6. Ben Stallard, 7. William St. Clair-Burton, 18. Ben Peters (15. Songora-Mory Kone 74 mins), 9. Kamil Zielinksi, 10. Morrison Hashii, 11. Kwai Marsh-Brown (16. Zaid Hannachi 60 mins) (14. Josh Guthrie 87 mins). Subs not used: 12. Linidon Daka, 17. Kasper Kloc.

Leverstock Green (0) 0
1. Alfie Bonfield, 2. Ademide Baruwa, 3. Rio Beach, 4. Gary Connolly, 5. Josh Dooley, 6. Ryan Carruthers (16. Radu-Mihai Stefanoaica 51 mins), 7. Luke Beckwith (15. Jaden Newman 85 mins), 8. Dan Pett, 9. Rawn Seale (14. Guiseppe Delgaudio 61 mins), 10. Nat Connolly (12. Jamie Breen 70 mins), 11. Ethan Mooney. Sub not used: 17. Dan Weeks.

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(A) Chesham United

Starting XI:
Mackenzie Taylor
Sergeis Stremilov
Max Jessop
Santino Dirro
Harry Barrett
Fletcher Hedge
Lee Birch
Byron Lee-Clarke
Scott Burge (2 goals)
Lucas Preston
Mason Tunbridge
Subs (all used):
Bryce Barnes-Garner
Adam Froom
Jake Deveraux
Kiri Georgiou

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(A) Aylesbury United

Leverstock Green’s FA Cup run ended at The Meadow on Wednesday night as Aylesbury United ran out comfortable 4-1 winners of the Preliminary Round replay. The Green side played well at times, but the Ducks were well on top for most of the match and deserved their place in the next round.

Leverstock might have taken an early lead in the 3rd minute when Reece Fallon got on the end of a corner from Jonathan Lacey, but his header was saved by Jack Sillitoe. Instead it was the home side who opened the scoring in the 7th minute. Dejon Noel-Williams got the better of Lewis Bowers on the right edge of the penalty area, with the suspicion of a foul, and squared into the six yard box where Sonny French was all alone to sidefoot home a simple goal.

There was a good chance for a Leverstock equaliser on 19 minutes when Chris Marsh lofted a pass into the box for Ross Adams, who tried to lob Sillitoe but didn’t get quite enough elevation on his lob to beat the keeper’s arms. Four minutes later Marsh was involved again as he lined up a superb curling shot from the edge of the box which had Sillitoe beaten but came back off the inside of the post. However, Jonathan Lacey was on hand to stick out a boot and divert the rebound into the net to level the scores at 1-1.

Leverstock had their best spell of the game during the middle part of the half, winning a series of corners, however they were undone by a corner at the other end on 31 minutes. Jake Bewley’s cross found Alex Collard with a free header at the far post to put his side back in front at 2-1.

At half time the game was still delicately poised, but a further Aylesbury goal early in the second half put them firmly in control. It was from another corner in the 49th minute, as Bewley’s cross was headed back across goal by Reece Cameron. Green keeper Charlie Hoskins got a hand to the ball but only tipped it onto the bar, and Greg Williams came in to head home the rebound for 3-1.

There were a couple of chances for Lacey during the second half, but his attempted lob over Sillitoe on 67 minutes landed on top of the net, and his shot from a Bowers cross on 80 minutes went into the side netting. Aylesbury had gone close to adding further goals with a couple of shots that went just wide, but in stoppage time they finally added the fourth when French was brought down inside the box by Hoskins and got up to score the resulting penalty himself.

Aylesbury’s reward for the win is a trip to Tilbury in the First Round Qualifying on Saturday week. Leverstock continue with cup action this coming Saturday as they visit Division Two side Mursley United in the first round of the SSML Challenge Trophy, kick-off 3.00 pm.

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(A) Chesham United

The under-18s opened their SCFYL Corinthian Division campaign with a tough visit to Chesham United. The home side led 4-0 at half time, but only added one more goal in the second half for a 5-0 final score.

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