Leverstock Green paid the price for a poor second half display as they ended 2006 with a defeat. In wet and windy conditions, a Green side missing several key players deservedly led at half-time, but lost their way in the second half, and in the end were fortunate not to suffer a worse defeat.

 

Leverstock started the game well , and went close in the 12^th minute. A shot from Ryan Upton was blocked, and Allan Arthur’s effort from the rebound was deflected just wide by a defender’s boot. The home side had their first attempt on goal on 19 minutes, when Ross Taylor headed over the bar from Mark Lambert’s cross. Lambert had a chance himself on 24 minutes when a pass found him unmarked just outside the penalty area, but his shot was just wide of the far post.

 

The deadlock was broken by an excellent Green goal in the 29^th minute. Upton’s pass found Arthur on the edge of the penalty area, and he sidestepped a defender before hitting a sweet strike with his left foot that flew over the keeper’s arm into the net for his 14^th goal of the season. Green almost doubled their lead four minutes before the break. A fine passing move took play from the halfway line into the penalty area where Arthur took the ball round the keeper, but from a narrow angle put the ball over the bar.

 

After a first half played in torrential rain on an increasingly sticky pitch, the referee inspected the pitch at half time and consulted both managers about continuing. Both managers agreed that the second half should start, although by the end Mick Vipond was probably wishing that the game had been called off. There was an early chance for Green when a shot from Louis West was helped on by Paul Matthews, but went just wide. After that, though, Green seemed to tire quickly playing against the wind, and Vale began to dominate the game.

 

The equaliser came in the 59^th minute. Steve Sanson’s crossfield pass found Taylor, who hit a shot that Derek Lewis parried, but Kyle Kilmartin followed up to net the rebound. It looked like getting worse for Leverstock on 68 minutes when a penalty was awarded somewhat harshly against Matthews for a tackle where he appeared to win the ball. However, justice was done when Lewis dived to his right to superbly save Paul Talbot’s spot kick.

 

It was only a temporary stay of execution, though. Three minutes later Stuart Corbould hit the bar directly from a corner, and seconds later Sanson hit the bar from a free kick. Lambert hit the woodwork for a third time with a cross a few minutes later. Green were hanging by a thread and eventually succumbed ten minutes from time. Corbould’s corner was headed up into the air, and while the Green defence watched the ball come down, Kilmartin came in to head home unchallenged and put his side into a 2-1 lead.

 

Green were unable to find any reply in the remaining time, and must now pick themselves up quickly for Wednesday night’s difficult trip to in-form Oxhey Jets, weather permitting.

 

Team: Lewis, West, Upton (Caseman), Matthews, Price, Sangster, Sears, Bull, Pedder, Arthur, Hallissey (Boad).