Match Report
Saturday 16th August 2014 FA Cup sponsored by Budweiser Extra Preliminary Round
Leverstock Green (0) 2 Wright 47, 85
Newport Pagnell Town (0) 1 Crawley 79
at Pancake Lane

Leverstock Green won their first FA Cup tie for five years as they struck a late winner to end the challenge of Newport Pagnell Town and book an away tie at Harefield United in the Preliminary Round in two weeks time.

In truth it wasn't the greatest of games, with few chances for either side. The first action of any note came in the 26th minute when the United Counties League visitors were reduced to ten men. Ieuan Reilly's two-footed lung on Callum Wright earned him a straight red card. Leverstock had been down to ten men themselves for a few minutes, with skipper Mark Shadbolt off the pitch receiving treatment after a bad tackle, and Shadbolt had to be replaced by Luke Warner-Eley.

Green keeper Kieran Jimmy made the game's first save in the 30th minute as he tipped a shot over the bar. Two minutes before the break Warner-Eley beat a defender on a great run into the box, but his cross was cleared off the line. From the resulting corner David Sobers shot into the side netting from a narrow angle.

After a poor first half, the second half opened much better from a Leverstock perspective as they took the lead two minutes after the restart. Wright picked the ball up in the opposition half, and went on a run before striking the ball accurately, hitting a low shot in off the post.

Timi Salako almost made it two on 54 minutes as he went on a run off his own before hitting a shot just wide. Substitute Louis Bircham also went close on 68 minutes, hitting a shot just over the angle after David Sobers had laid the ball back to him.

With only one goal in it, the game was still in the balance, and Newport Pagnell levelled the scores on 79 minutes after Leverstock gave the ball away in their own half. John Thorpe chipped a pass over two defenders to Josh Crawley, who took the ball down and struck an angled shot past Jimmy for an equaliser.

However, Leverstock picked themselves up again and went on to retake the lead with five minutes remaining. Bircham broke forward and threaded a pass through to Wright, who showed composure as he slotted the ball past the keeper for his second goal of the game.

The Green almost threw it away again in stoppage time as they went to sleep from their own free kick in the opposition half. The visitors broke quickly and Tariq Kojey was clean through, but didn't connect properly with his shot and Jimmy gathered it comfortably. It proved to be the only scare for the Leverstock side as they held on to progress into the next round and claim a very welcome slice of prize money.

Next up for Leverstock is a visit to Hillingdon Borough for a league game on Tuesday night, kick-off 7.45 pm.
Match Images (click on picture to see full-size)
Leverstock Green: 1. Kieron Jimmy, 2. Paul Somers, 3. Mark Shadbolt (15. Luke Warner-Eley 27 mins), 4. Gavin Smith, 5. Callum Wright, 6. James Sears (14. Louis Bircham 67 mins), 7. Timi Salako, 8. Mark Woolley, 9. David Sobers, 10. Liam Hind, 11. Dan Lake (17. Ryan Upton 72 mins). Subs not used: 12. Dean Kemp 17. Sledge Mubama, 18. David Bailey.
Newport Pagnell Town: 1. Josh McAdoo, 2. David Baker, 3. Keith Williams, 4. John Thorpe, 5. Matt Brady (16. Tariq Kojey 86 mins), 6. Ieuan Reilly, 7. Scott Mulkern (15. Mark Rodger 69 mins), 8. Sam Parrish, 9. Josh Crawley, 10. Dom Lawless, 11. Lukasz Filipiak (12. Rob Tapp 61 mins). Sub not used: 14. Adam Pruke.