Premier Division
Hanwell Town 4 Leverstock Green 0
Saturday, 18 March 2006
After clinching a cup final place in midweek, Leverstock Green were brought back to earth with a bump in Saturday's visit to promotion-chasing Hanwell. A couple of late goals gave the final score a lopsided look, but in truth this was a rare off-day for the Green, who never got to grips with the windy conditions and seldom offered a threat to the Hanwell goal.
Hanwell had the strong wind in their favour during the first half, and kept Leverstock penned in their own half for much of the time. Their first serious threat on goal was in the 13th minute, when a long range shot from Ricky Pither was turned round the post by James Dewick. The resulting corner came to nothing, but a minute later Hanwell won another corner. Jason Tucker's kick took a wicked swerve from the wind and went straight in at the far post despite the efforts of Sam Byfield to head it off the line, to put Hanwell in front.
There were few other chances in the first half, with Green only having off-target shots from Josh Price and Darren Caseman to show for their efforts. There was a glimmer in the final minute of the half when Byfield flicked the ball on to give James Armstrong a run at goal, but Armstrong's run was ended just outside the penalty area by a defender's tackle judged to be fair by the referee.
The wind favoured Green in the second half, but they still struggled to offer a serious threat. On 53 minutes a determined run into the box by Sean Sangster set up a chance for Armstrong, but he shot wide. Instead they found themselves further behind three minutes later. Tucker floated a free kick towards the far post, where Luke Sheekey put the ball across goal and Gary Brown finished from close range to put Hanwell 2-0 up.
Mick Vipond made three changes in an effort to get back into the game, and for a while it looked as though it may have worked. On 73 minutes a long throw found Adam Collins, who turned and hit a shot which was turned round the post. Five minutes later Collins brought another great save out of the keeper with a shot from a narrow angle, Byfield had a cross headed off the line, and Lee Johnson headed just over the bar from a Byfield cross.
However, their hopes were extinguished on 82 minutes when Sheekey broke down the left and crossed for the unmarked Pither to tap home from close range. Three minutes later Sheekey curled home a shot himself to give Hanwell a somewhat flattering fourth goal, but Green didn't deserve anything from a low-key performance.
Team: Dewick, Moriarty, Sangster, Price, Johnson, Boad, Caseman (Kelsh), Welling, Armstrong (Collins), Pedder (O.Leslie), Byfield. |
|