Report by Peter Berman

After their heroics against Wembley, expectations were high for Leverstock Green's U18s on a cold night at Colney Heath, and an exciting game seemed likely, given how the league meetings between these two sides had gone.

The teams got off to a fairly even start, and cancelled each other out for the most part, causing chances to be few and far between. It wasn't until the 9th minute that any chances were forthcoming, and the first player to create one was Leverstock Green's Eli Kefas, who almost forced Carl Mensah into an own goal, but home goal keeper Matthew Fallon was alert enough to clear any danger. Unconventional from Kefas, but nearly very effective.

Iheanyi Ejimofri was the next to have a go, in the 12th minute, but his shot was over the bar. Just three more chances were created over the next fifteen minutes, and two went to Colney Heath, first through Robert Frost, then by Raheem Crosbourng, but neither could capitalise. The third was a chance for Green, but Alieu Gibril's long range shot didn't break the deadlock either.

At the end of a distinctly uneventful first half, the game badly needed a goal, and unfortunately it was the home side who made the faster start after half time. In Green's defence though, it was a freak goal that put them ahead. Seven minutes into the half, Michael Richards fired the ball goalwards from the halfway line and found the back of the net.

That started a devastating six minutes from Colney Heath, and by the one hour mark Crosbourng had got around Kieron Clayton to make it 2-0, before Frost took a speculative shot from the right wing that took a bobble to make it 3-0.

Green's response was good, but it was all too late, and it looked like they'd get a consolation goal at best. They were playing well, and looking ambitious, but there was no end product, with Ejimofri coming up with the only two exceptions to that rule. He had a lovely shot saved in the 72nd minute, before going on a strong run ten minutes later, only to shoot wide of the post.

So Colney Heath claimed victory and a clean sheet, and for Green it was a disappointing end to the competition. However, this cup run has had some real highlights; something they will hope to replicate when they face Stotfold in the Colwyn Youth Cup next week.