Match Report
Saturday 21st March 2015 Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division
Harefield United (3) 3 Bennell 33, Egan 42, Newman 45+4 pen
Leverstock Green (0) 1 Bircham 74 pen
at Preston Park

A battling second half display from Leverstock Green wasn't enough to pull back a 3-0 half time deficit as they fell to an eventual 3-1 defeat at Harefield United on Saturday.

The Green side had only two days to recover from their previous game, and goalkeeper Dan McNicholas was making his debut in plave of the injured Kieran Jimmy. The early stages of the game saw Leverstock have a couple of chances. In the 5th minute a cross from Tommy Walsh found Louis Bircham unmarked in the box, but Bircham could only hit his shot straight at keeper Luke Southwood. In the 9th minute Damien Cruickshank and Elias Moses worked the ball down the right wing before squaring for Carl McCluskey, whose first touch ran through to Southwood.

Harefield took the lead in the 33rd minute from a set-piece. Ryan Ashe's free kick from near the left touchline was only cleared as far as Danny Bennell, who lashed home a volley from just outside the six yard box.

There hadn't been much between the sides before the goal, but Harefield added two more goals before half time. On 42 minutes McNicholas was unlucky as a Harefield free kick deflected off the head of Ryan Egan, who knew little about it, but the ball was sent looping over the Green keeper's outstretched arm into the net. In first half stoppage time Michael Chennells went down inside the box under a challenge from Liam O'Keefe, and Harry Newman made no mistake from the penalty spot to virtually kill off the game at 3-0.

Harefield rarely looked like adding to their lead in the second half, with Walsh heading off the line on 63 minutes to deny their only real chance. Leverstock had much more of the ball and had a real go at pulling the game back.

Billy Smith came off the bench on 71 minutes, and within 2 minutes Bircham set up Smith for a run into the box which was ended by a challenge from Egan. The referee pointed to the penalty spot again, and Bircham sent Southwood the wrong way to reduce the arrears to 3-1.

There was another chance on 81 minutes when a great reverse pass from Moses put Smith through on goal, but his shot was saved by Southwood. Leverstock had a succession of free kicks and corners, but lacked the killer touch inside the box to put the ball away. In stoppage time they were denied again when a shot from Smith had Southwood going the wrong way, but the keeper still managed to keep the shot out with his boot.

In the end it was a good effort, but they had given themselves too much to do after the first half. Leverstock will continue to search for the points they need to secure safety with two home games this week, against Hadley on Tuesday night and Tring Athletic next Saturday.

Harefield United: 1. Luke Southwood, 2. Calum Duffy, 3. Ryan Kinnane, 4. Ryan Egan, 5. Danny Bennell, 6. Seldyn Grant, 7. Ryan Ashe, 8. Liam Hind, 9. Michael Chennells, 10. Ricky Pither (15. Chris Day 21 mins), 11. Harry Newman. Subs not used: 12. Jonathan Miller, 14. Jack Copson, 16. Kyle Matthews.
Leverstock Green: 1. Dan McNicholas, 2. Damien Cruickshank, 3. Callum Wright, 4. Liam O'Keefe, 5. Danny Arnett (16. Nathan Jallow 75 mins), 6. Tommy Walsh, 7. Elias Moses, 8. Mark Woolley, 9. James Sears (17. Billy Smith 71 mins), 10. Carl McCluskey, 11. Louis Bircham. Subs not used: 12. Gavin Smith, 14. Luke Warner-Eley, 15. Jimmy Talbot.