Premier Division
Broxbourne Borough V&E 2 Leverstock Green 0
Saturday, 17 January 2004
Leverstock Green's winless run extended to six games as they went down 2-0 in difficult conditions at Broxbourne's Goffs Lane ground on Saturday. In the absence of both manager Mick Vipond and assistant Danny Johnson due to illness and holiday respectively, the Green side put up an improved display from last week, but are not getting the breaks at the moment.
Green had the game's first effort on goal in the 6th minute when Andy Phillips struck a fine shot from 25 yards, but the keeper pulled off a good diving save. At the other end Broxbourne striker Sam Obeney looked like the danger man, on 19 minutes Neal Bartlett's tackle denied him a clear shot at Matt Timberlake, and when Obeney collected the rebound, his shot was saved by Timberlake.
The game was evenly poised, but a blunder by Timberlake saw the Green fall behind on 24 minutes. Timberlake rushed out of his area to clear a through ball, but miskicked, giving the ball straight to Mark Teasdale, and the stranded Green keeper was helpless as Teasdale directed the ball straight into the empty net.
Two minutes before the break the Green had a promising counter-attack when Phillips broke from his own half before setting up Andrew Pollard to send in a dangerous cross that was hacked clear from the goalmouth, and on the stroke of half-time Steve Boad headed down Andy Tyers' cross into the path of Scott Walters, whose shot was saved by the keeper.
In the second half the Green were playing into the strong wind, which later turned into driving rain. However, they worked hard and actually had the better of the play throughout the half, although they could not turn their promising build-up play into clear-cut chances.
Midway through the half the Green were denied what looked like a clear-cut penalty. The linesman flagged for a penalty when Jimmy Milton was sent crashing inside the box, but the referee played on. Ten minutes from time Broxbourne were reduced to ten men when Teasdale received his second yellow card for stupidly kicking the ball away.
Green piled forward in search of an equaliser which never came, and inevitably they were caught on the counter-attack when Obeney broke clear and ran on to slot the ball past Timberlake for Broxbourne's second goal.
Team: Timberlake, Bartlett, Tyers, Beamish, Brett (Butcher), Boad, Phillips, Whitby, Sangster, Walters, Pollard (Milton): Subs not used: Greenidge, OToole, Simpson
Alan Lee |
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