22/8/06: Molten SSML Premier Division

London Colney 2 Leverstock Green 2

 

Leverstock Green pulled off a great recovery to rescue a point from their opening league game at London Colney after a disastrous start saw them two goals down within four minutes.

 

The problems started for Leverstock 15 minutes before kick-off when goalkeeper James Dewick was injured in the warm-up. With no substitute keeper present, a call was put in to reserve keeper James Hannington, who was playing in a practice game at Pancake Lane. Striker Adam Collins volunteered to start the match in goal, but was soon probably wishing he hadn’t. In the opening minute Collins was put under pressure by a backpass, and shanked his clearance as the ball bobbled on the pitch, leaving Jermaine Davey to slot the ball into the empty net and put Colney ahead with 50 seconds on the clock.

 

In the fourth minute Frankie Jowle sent over a cross to the far post which Collins came out to punch, but was blocked by his own defender, leaving Davey a simple header to put his side two goals ahead. A relieved Collins had his ordeal ended a minute later when Hannington arrived and went straight from his car onto the pitch to defend a corner successfully.

 

There might have been a third goal in the 12th minute when David Parkinson got on the end of a cross from Jowle, only to head wide from in front of goal. Instead the Leverstock fightback was about to begin. Hannington’s goal kick was headed on by Steve Boad to put James Armstrong in on goal, but a defender got in a boot to divert Armstrong’s shot wide. However, three minutes later another Hannington kick was skimmed off a defender’s head to put Armstrong in again. Armstrong tried to take the ball round keeper Graham Milner, but Milner bumped him over. The referee pointed to the spot, and Armstrong converted the penalty to put Leverstock back in the game.

 

By now Green had their confidence back and were putting the Colney goal under pressure with a succession of corners. They came close to equalising on 21 minutes when John Pedder shot just wide from Armstrong’s lay-back. On 35 minutes Armstrong was threatening again on the edge of the penalty area. He showed the pace to push the ball past defender Mark Paradise and dart into the box, only to be brought down by Paradise’s tackle. Again the referee awarded the penalty, and again Armstrong made no mistake to level the score at 2-2.

 

Green might have taken the lead on the stroke of half time when a great pass from Paul Leslie put Allan Arthur in with a chance, but Arthur shot straight at Milner.

 

After the eventful the first half, the second half was something of a disappointment, with neither side creating any clear-cut chances. Leverstock’s best chance came two minutes from time when a cross from Armstrong dropped for Lee Johnson with a clear sight of goal, but Johnson couldn’t quite get the ball out of his feet to shoot before a defender closed him down. In the end the draw was a fair result.

 

Team: Collins (Hannington), Plaskett, Leslie, Burr, Johnson, Boad (Sangster), Caseman, Welling, Pedder, Arthur, Armstrong.