Premier Division
Biggleswade United 0 Leverstock Green 3
Saturday, 08 April 2006
Following on from their midweek demolition of Aylesbury Vale, Leverstock Green registered another impressive away win, this time against their principal rivals for sixth place. A hard pitch and blustery wind made it virtually impossible for either side to play controlled football, but Leverstock handled the conditions better than the home side, and were worthy winners of the game.
Even with the wind against them in the first half, Green created the better chances. In the 7th minute Adam Collins pulled the ball back to set up a chance for James Armstrong, but his shot was just over the bar. On 21 minutes Biggleswade keeper Darren Ayre punched away a cross, but Sean Sangster and Armstrong managed to get the ball through to Collins, who also shot over the bar. Sangster was the next Green player to shoot over the bar on 31 minutes, but four minutes later Daniel Tompkins had to head a Biggleswade corner off the line to keep the scores level.
Sangster set up another chance for Armstrong on 39 minutes, which he hit wide, while in the last minutes of the half the home side's Jack Weeden went on a mazy run into the box, and was about to pull the trigger before Josh Price got in a saving tackle.
The game was goalless at the break, but it was only four minutes into the second half before Leverstock made the breakthrough. Lee Johnson played a great ball down the line for Collins, and his cross found Armstrong, who controlled the ball before firing home his 23rd goal of the season.
A through ball from Tompkins gave Collins the chance to increase the lead five minutes later, but he shot wildly over the bar. On 69 minutes Green were defending a free kick, but broke away quickly. Mark Welling's ball put Armstrong clean through, but Ayre pulled off a great save with his legs. Armstrong retrieved the rebound and put the ball back into the danger area, where Welling smacked a shot against the post.
Green were in need of a second goal to ease their nerves, and should have got it on 81 minutes. Armstrong played the ball in for Darren Caseman, who had the chance to shoot himself, but instead laid off for Collins, who looked certain to score but somehow put the ball over the bar again from inside the six yard box. However, a minute later Armstrong chased a through ball. Ayre came out of his area to clear, but missed the ball completely. Armstrong chased the ball down to the bye-line and pulled it back to set up the simplest of tap-ins for Collins, who didn't miss this time and became the fourth Green player to reach double figures in the goals column this season.
2-0 would have been a fair reflection of the game, but there was a bonus to come for Green in stoppage time when a free kick from Price deflected off a defender and flew into the net for Green's third goal. By now Green were looking supremely confident, and could have added further goals in a lengthy period of stoppage time, but were happy to settle for the 3-0 win.
Team: Dewick, Caseman, Price, Johnson, Matthews, Boad (Pedder), Tompkins, Welling (Hart), Collins, Sangster, Armstrong.
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