Match Report
Thursday 14th April 2011 St Mary's Cup Semi-final
Oxhey Jets (1) 1 Lowton 35
Leverstock Green (2) 5 Griggs 3, Preston 41, Butler 75, Bircham 79, Austin 90+2
at Boundary Stadium

Leverstock Green booked a second of three possible cup final appearances as they cruised past Oxhey Jets in Thursday night's St Mary's Cup semi-final. Five different players found the net as the Green continued their golden run of form despite playing their third game in six days.

The opening goal came as early as the third minute. Dan Griggs won the ball in midfield and ran with it before hitting a shot from distance that bumped along the ground, but Jets keeper Mark Jessop was rooted to his line and couldn't get across to save it.

The home side had a good spell after that, and Carl Tasker had to produce saves to keep out shots from Lee Inch on 19 minutes and Lee Grace three minutes later. However, on 35 minutes Warren Gladdy lobbed a cross into the box, and with Tasker in two minds whether to come out for it, Adam Lowton nipped in to nod the ball past him for the equaliser.

Green were back in front before half time though. On 41 minutes Lee Bircham curled over a great corner to the far post, and Craig Preston managed to stab the ball home at the second attempt after his first effort was blocked.

The lead should have been extended on 48 minutes when a mistake from defender Michael Wyatt let Jon Davies go clean through, but when a composed finish was required, Davies blasted the ball over the bar.

On 56 minutes a pass from Inch put Lewis Putman through on goal, but Tasker came off his line to save with his legs. Tasker was brought into action again on 68 minutes when Inch burst through the middle, again coming out to save with his legs.

Two substitutions brought Lewis Pritchard and Adam Hallissey off the bench, but the game was still in the balance until the last 15 minutes. On 75 minutes Pritchard broke away, and with Louis Austin alongside him Green had two against one. Pritchard's ball to Austin was behind him, but it ran through to find Ben Butler all alone, and he thumped a confident finish past Jessop for a 3-1 Leverstock lead.

Four minutes later Butler hung up a cross invitingly to the far post for Bircham, who was thundering into the box. Bircham's first shot was saved, but he had another go from the rebound and this time Jessop could only help the ball into the net as Green stretched their lead to a comfortable 4-1.

The icing on the cake came in stoppage time as Louis Austin ended a goal drought of more than a month. Pritchard nodded the ball forward to Austin, who beat a defender and ran into the box before shooting home from a narrow angle for a long overdue 30th goal of the season.

The final is scheduled for Monday 2nd May at Hemel Hempstead Town's Vauxhall Road ground, and Leverstock's opponents will be either Hemel or Tring Athletic.

Oxhey Jets: 1. Mark Jessop, 2. Michael Wyatt, 3. Lee Grace, 4. Tyler Connor (15. Nadim Akhtar 87 mins), 5. Ant Shepherd, 6. Warren Gladdy, 7. Colin Jenkins (17. Tim O'Mara 69 mins), 8. Lee Inch, 9. Andrew Lomas, 10. Adam Lowton, 11. Lewis Putman. Subs not used: 12. Andrew Brennan, 14. Stewart King, 16. Karl Bull.
Leverstock Green: 1. Carl Tasker, 2. Lee Bircham, 3. Mark Shadbolt, 4. Steve Hatch, 5. Bill Morgan, 6. Jon Davies (14. Lewis Pritchard 65 mins), 7. Bekim Culaj (15. Adam Hallissey 72 mins), 8. Craig Preston, 9. Ben Butler, 10. Dan Griggs, 11. Louis Austin. Subs not used: 12. Louis West, 16. Dan Boyle, 17. Gareth Tinsley.