Theobalds Lane

The Stadium, Theobalds Ln, Cheshunt, Waltham Cross EN8 8RU

(A) Cuffley

Leverstock Green Development extended their unbeaten league run to five games, and Saturday’s win at Cuffley was their fourth win in that run. Making his debut for the side was Ethan Horwood, signed from St Albans City U23. Curtis Dibley, Callum Moore and Dylan Duane-Berry scored the goals in a game that was switched from the waterlogged pitch at Cuffley to the 4G at Cheshunt F.C.

Starting XI:
Harry Maloret
Bobby O’Flynn
Alfie Herd
Schilo Mateta Kanda
Cassius Trangmar
Shay Kelly
Ethan Horwood 🔻
Connor McGinty
Curtis Dibley âš½
Callum Moore âš½
Dylan Duane-Berry âš½

Substitutes:
Luc Dischamps 🟢
Alex King
Reece Marchant
Antonio Ivanov

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Bush Hill Rangers vs Apsley Argyle

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(A) FC Romania

Leverstock Green FC’s unbeaten start to the season came to an abrupt halt on Wednesday night as they were beaten 4-1 at FC Romania in their third SSML Premier Division fixture of the season. It was a deserved win for the home side, who took advantage of a couple of mistakes to hold a three goal lead at the break against Leverstock Green FC, and never looked like relinquishing the game in the second half.

Leverstock Green FC made a good start to the game, and went close with just a minute played when Callum Neal headed a free kick back across goal to Radu-Mihai Stefanoaica, whose stabbed shot was deflected wide for a corner. In the 13th minute Luke Beckwith had a run at goal before hitting a shot over the bar.

Two minutes later Leverstock were defending in their own box, and the ball was given away to Malik Nosik, who controlled it before hitting a bullet of a shot from the edge of the box into the top corner of the net, which gave Loris Marcimain no chance.

Leverstock were denied an equaliser in the 28th minute by a great save from home keeper Elgi Fejzo, who dived full-length to his right to turn away a Chris Blunden free kick. On 37 minutes another mistake was punished as the ball was given away near the halfway line and the home side broke quickly. Alie Bangura outpaced Brad Robinson down the left touchline and put over a cross which was finished from close range by Tobi Coker.

Leverstock’s task was made even harder in the last minute of the half when Coker scored his second with another tremendous shot from distance which again left Marcimain standing as it flew into the net.

Things could have got worse in the opening seconds of the second half as FC Romania attacked straight from the kick-off and looked to have a good shout for a penalty, but the referee turned down their appeals. Leverstock pushed forward promisingly a few times during the half, but the home side were still well in control, and Marcimain made a couple of great saves to deny Coker a hat-trick.

There was a glimmer of hope for Leverstock Green FC seven minutes from time when substitute Connor McGinty cleared the ball from his own half and found Stefanoaica on the halfway line. Stefanoaica took the ball past Fejzo, who had come way out of his area, and ran on to calmly slot into the empty net to reduce the arrears to 3-1. Stefanoaica went close again in stoppage time with a shot across goal which went just wide. However, the home side’s three-goal lead was restored when Zenon Stylianides was put through to slot past Marcimain for their fourth goal, and it was the last kick of the game as the referee blew for time as soon as the ball hit the net.

Leverstock Green FC will have to pick themselves up quickly as they face a difficult FA Cup tie on Saturday away to Isthmian League North Division side Walthamstow.

FC Romania (3) 4 (Nosike 15, Coker 37, 45, Stylianides 90+5)
1.Elgi Fejzo, 2. Zivonimir Lopes, 3. William Danquah, 5. German Petrov, 15. Luke Abraham, 6. Phil Lowen, 11. Malik Nosike, 9. Ivan Gyurov (19. Stefan Balev 69 mins), 7. Alie Bangura (16. Janoir Da Cruz 90+2 mins), 10. Zenon Stylianides, 8. Tobi Coker (17. Aryaneaj Tajbakhsh 84 mins). Subs not used: 12. Lubomir Georgiev, 18. Yashua Smith.
Leverstock Green FC (0) 1 (Stefanoaica 83)
1. Loris Marcimain, 2. Brad Robinson (15. Danny May 75 mins), 3. Rio Beach, 4. Callum Neal, 5. Dan Weeks, 6. Nat Connolly (17. Freddie Newing 84 mins), 7. Luke Beckwith, 8. Dan Pett, 9. Chris Blunden (12. Toby Head 71 mins), 10. George Mitchell-Gears (16. Connor McGinty 78 mins), 11. Radu-Mihai Stefanoaica. Sub not used: 14. Ryan Hennessy.

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(A) Bush Hill Rangers

Leverstock Green FC Development made their debut in the Herts Senior County League Premier Division on Saturday.

Their opener was a tough away game at reigning league champions Bush Hill Rangers, and Callum Moore scored the Leverstock goal as the home side ran out 5-1 winners.

Starting XI:

Jamie Donovan
Emmanuel Agyeman
Ayoub Enajar
Mayar Hajousman
Shay Kelly
Connor McGinty
Callum Moore
Freddie Newing
Riley Noel-Williams
Bobby O’Flynn
Shaki Innocent

Substitutes:

Billy Airey
Zakaria Khaldi
Toby Mandeville
Jack Marshall

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(A) Cheshunt

Two late goals ended Leverstock Green’s run in the Herts Senior Cup, but the Green side gave an excellent performance against Ryman League opposition and were only a couple of minutes away from taking Cheshunt to penalties.

After Mark Berg had made an early save with his feet to keep out a Cheshunt shot, it was Leverstock who opened the scoring in the 7th minute. It began with a run from Curtis Donaldson and a ball across the face of goal which was cleared by defender James Thomas. The resulting corner caused chaos in the Cheshunt six-yard box and Jack Watts lashed the ball home.

There was a change of fortune for Watts in the 15th minute when he appeared to win the ball with a tackle inside the box, but the referee saw it differently and awarded a penalty to Cheshunt. Their chance to equalise was wasted, though, as Emmanuel Osei hit the spot kick well wide.

A minute later Jonathan Lacey could have doubled Leverstock’s lead when he was through on goal, but keeper Michael Gooch came off his line to save. Three minutes later Green keeper Berg made a great save to tip a shot from Thomas onto the bar. Daniel Okeema followed up to net the rebound but was flagged offside. Cheshunt finally got their equaliser in the 22nd minute as Jason Hallett was put through on goal and ran on to finish confidently past Berg.

Lacey went close again in the 37th minute after a run from Lewis Davis set up him with a chance, but his attempted curler into the top corner went just over the bar. Instead it was Cheshunt who went into half time with a 2-1 lead as Thomas crossed for Jamie Smyth to stab the ball home from close range a minute before the break.

Leverstock had to make a double change at half time, with Reynaldo Carbon and Ross Adams replacing Donaldson and Casey Linsell. They went close to levelling in the 48th minute as a pass from Lewis Bowers put Lacey in on goal, but he shot into the side netting from a narrow angle. At the other end Cheshunt had a few chances but failed to hit the target from any of them.

Leverstock got a deserved equaliser just after the hour mark. Carbon showed great footwork as he weaved his way into the box and hit a shot which Gooch parried, however the rebound fell for Bowers, who forced the ball home to make it 2-2.

Three minutes later both George Biggadike and Kendall Allen went close from a Lacey corner. On 67 minutes there was more good work from Carbon as he put the ball across the face of goal with Adams set to score until Jordan Spearman got in just ahead of him to clear. On 81 minutes a pass from Carbon set Lacey up with his best chance of the match, and Lacey looked certain to score as he beat the last defender on the edge of the box, but Gooch pulled off a superb one-handed save to keep out his shot.

As the minutes ticked down it looked likely that the game would go to penalties, but a minute from time Cheshunt were awarded a free kick in a dangerous position 25 yards from goal. All their previous efforts in the half had been off-target, but this time Hallett made no mistake as he sent the free kick flying into the top corner of the net, giving Berg no chance.

Leverstock then won a corner at the other end, and sent everyone up in an attempt to save the game, but the corner was poor, allowing Cheshunt to break quickly, and Hallett had an easy shot from the edge of the box to complete his hat-trick and give the scoreline a rather flattering look for the home side.

Leverstock return to league action this Saturday with a home game against Holmer Green.

 

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