Match Report
Tuesday 27th January 2015 Herts Charity Shield Semi-Final
Hertford Town (2) 3 Ruff 8, Leigh Rose 38, O'Keefe 67 og
Leverstock Green (1) 1 Bircham 20
at Hertingfordbury Park

Leverstock Green missed out on a cup final appearance as they went down to a 3-1 defeat at Hertford Town in Tuesday night's Herts Charity Shield semi-final. It was a decent performance by the Green side, who played some good attacking football but couldn't find the goals their play merited.

Hertford made the stronger start and put the Leverstock goal under heavy pressure in the opening minutes. They took the lead in the 8th minute when a cross from Tommy Wade dropped nicely just outside the penalty area for Sam Ruff to strike a volley that flew into the Green net.

However, Leverstock levelled the scores in the 20th minute from their first meaningful attack. Callum Wright won the ball just inside his own half and set up a swift counter-attack by releasing Billy Smith down the right. Smith ran on to cross to the far post, where Louis Bircham took the ball down and took a couple of touches before firing home low into the net.

Hertford could have gone back in front within two minutes, but Kardan Campbell's effort hit the inside of the post and bounced across goal into the arms of Kieran Jimmy. On 29 minutes a ball forward from Mark Woolley allowed Nathan Jellow to get the wrong side of the last defender, but the ball ran too far away from him and keeper Harry Ricketts was able to come out and gather despite Jellow sliding in for the ball. Seconds later at the other end Leigh Rose was denied by a save from Jimmy and a goalline clearance from an effort on the rebound.

However, Rose wasn't to be denied for long. On 38 minutes he ran onto a through ball and got past Liam O'Keefe before drilling the ball home from the edge of the box to put his side 2-1 up. Leverstock should have brought the game back to level terms in first half stoppage time. A cross from the left ran through to find Billy Smith unmarked and with the goal at his mercy, but a heavy first touch allowed Ricketts to come off his line and get a hand on Smith's shot to tip it over the bar.

Leverstock continued to push forward in the second half, and should have made more of their enterprising attacking play. Three minutes in a ball into the box from Woolley found Smith, but he shot wide. Several times the Green side got the ball into promising positions around the edge of the box but couldn't find the final touch to create a clear opening.

Hertford extended their lead somewhat against the run of play in the 67th minute, and it was again down to Leigh Rose, who got away down the right and put the ball across the face of goal, where O'Keefe slid in to clear but couldn't avoid diverting the ball into his own net.

Leverstock continued to enjoy good possession, but never looked like pulling back the two-goal deficit, and it is Hertford who go through to face London Colney in the Charity Shield final at Letchworth.

Hertford Town: 1. Harry Ricketts, 2. Dajour Buffonge, 3. George Laffar (15. Sion Hardy 71 mins), 4. Sam Ruff, 5. Ross Clemo, 6. Bradley Fraser, 7. Kardan Campbell (14. Tegana James 78 mins), 8. Louis Rose, 9. Leigh Rose, 10. Tommy Wade, 11. Jordan Watson (16. Charlie E. Smith 35 mins). Sub not used: 12. Mattie Crook.
Leverstock Green: 1. Kieran Jimmy, 2. Damien Cruickshank, 3. Luke Warner-Eley, 4. Liam O'Keefe, 5. Callum Wright, 6. Gavin Smith, 7. James Sears, 8. Mark Woolley (14. Tommy Walsh 79 mins), 9. Louis Bircham, 10. Nathan Jellow (12. Dene Gardner 69 mins), 11. Billy Smith (16. Chad Pinching 82 mins). Subs not used: 15. Tunde Owolabi, 17. Elias Moses.