Leverstock Green bounced back from the midweek cup defeat at Edgware with an away win that moves them up to second in the Premier Division table, behind Edgware on goal difference. The scoreline made it look like a comfortable win, but for over an hour Leverstock laboured on a bumpy pitch in windy conditions, creating very little. Once again, though, the side showed the determination to keep pushing on, and eventually made the breakthrough which led to three goals in the last fifteen minutes.

 

The first half in particular was Leverstock’s poorest display of the season so far. The best chance fell to Holmer on 12 minutes when David Clark’s long goal kick was allowed to bounce through to Stuart Goodall, whose shot brought a full-length save out of Derek Lewis. A through ball from James Armstrong gave Allan Arthur a sight of goal on 18 minutes, but Clark saved his shot comfortably. On 38 minutes a free kick from Paul Leslie fell for Arthur in front of goal, but he slipped at the vital moment, and nobody could force the ball home in the ensuing scramble.

 

Holmer went close again in the second minute after the restart when Sam Grace struck a long-range effort just over the bar. However, the game continued to be scrappy, with neither side able to play any controlled football. Leverstock didn’t go close to scoring until 69 minutes when Leslie hit a shot from 18 yards which went just wide.

 

Leverstock manager Mick Vipond finally rung the changes on 73 minutes when Adam Hallissey replaced Sean Sangster, and three minutes later it was pressure from Hallissey on a defender that won a throw-in down near the corner flag. Dale Sears hurled a long throw into the box and Lee Johnson flicked it on to Arthur, who had his back to goal but managed to acrobatically hook the ball past Clark from six yards out to finally break the deadlock. The goal was Arthur’s ninth of the season and his fifth in successive games.

 

With the goal behind them, Leverstock at last started to get the ball down and play a bit. Four minutes later Steve Boad picked up a clearance and floated a ball through for Armstrong, who had endured a frustrating afternoon, but got it out of his system as he smashed a superb volley past Clark to put Leverstock two goals up.

 

Armstrong was withdrawn before the restart to make way for Ryan Upton, a midfielder signed this week from Ruislip Manor. Three minutes from time both sides were reduced to ten men. A reckless challenge by Sears resulted in his second yellow card, and the retaliation by Holmer’s Tom Alabaster, who ran over and pushed Sears to the ground, earned him a straight red card. Leverstock’s three points were secured in the 89^th minute by Hallissey, who went on a solo run from the halfway line to the edge of the penalty area before driving an angled shot past Clark for a third goal which was somewhat flattering, but adds further to Green’s already impressive league statistics.

 

Team: Lewis, Burr, Leslie, West, Johnson, Boad (Welling), Sears, Caseman, Armstrong (Upton), Arthur, Sangster (Hallissey).

 

Photos available at http://www.levgreenfc.co.uk/mr20061028.htm