Gutsy Leverstock Green battle back to sink Colney Heath

There was a new face in the Leverstock line-up in Adam Wallace, a forward from Hendon FC on his way back from injury.

The first chance of the game fell to the Green in the fifth minute when a scuffed clearance went straight to Lee Gardner, who had a shot at goal which went wide.

However, it was the visitors who took the lead after nine minutes when a kick from the goalkeeper found former Green player David Parkinson in dangerous territory.

Parkinson had two defenders against him but still twisted and turned before squaring for Josh Bronti to emphatically shoot home from the edge of the box.

Leverstock went close to levelling after 14 minutes when Callum Wright made a run into the box before squaring for David Sobers, who was denied by a great close-range save from keeper Tom Blackman.

The equaliser eventually came in the 30th minute from a kick by Kieran Jimmy. The ball was flicked on by Jimmy Talbot and found its way through to Wallace in space on the edge of the box, and he drove home a low shot to notch a goal on his debut.

The visitors almost went back in front four minutes later when Jay Welsh curled a free-kick just over the bar, but on 37 minutes they were back in front when Leverstock defended a free kick poorly and Josh Humbert headed home.

The first half had seen an even game, with Leverstock having more of the ball and Colney more of the chances, but three minutes into the second half it looked as though the game was only going one way.

A high ball was lobbed into the Green box, and while all the defenders stood still waiting for each other to deal with it, Bronti could hardly believe his luck as he ran in unchallenged and headed over the stranded Jimmy for a 3-1 lead.

Shortly afterwards Colney had a fourth goal disallowed for offside, but after 52 minutes the game started going the other way.

A cross into the Colney box resulted in a scramble in which Wright got the decisive touch to force the ball home and give Leverstock a glimmer of hope at 3-2.

Little over a minute later it was more than hope as Leverstock pushed forward quickly again, and Sobers struck a superb shot from just outside the box to level the scores at 3-3.

Leverstock had their tails up now, and after 56 minutes Wright played a free-kick to the near post where Wallace was just denied by a defender’s challenge.

From the resulting corner Lee Gardner connected with a neat sidefoot which was heading for the net until it was cleared off the line.

Three minutes later the Green put together another great move, which ended with Somers playing an angled ball into the box where Wright came in to slot the ball home and complete a comeback from 3-1 down to 4-3 up inside eight minutes.

Leverstock continued to hold the upper hand for the rest of the game against a shell-shocked Colney side, and they even added a fifth goal in stoppage time as Sobers danced his way through the defence before slotting home a superb solo goal.

The end result was a thoroughly deserved win for a team that once again showed the strength of character to come from behind.

Before next Saturday’s FA Cup tie, Leverstock have the matter of an SSML Challenge Trophy tie at home to Chesham United Reserves on Tuesday night, kick-off 7.30pm.