Revenge for Town as tables are turned on Levy Green

Hoddesdon got off to the ideal start from their perspective with a goal in the third minute. Green defender Dan Bourne was shielding the ball down to the corner flag, and thought it had gone out of play, but the linesman didn’t flag and while Bourne stopped, Brett O’Connor took the ball and ran along the bye-line before pulling it back for Ricky Light to shoot home.

Levy’s first near miss came in the 19th minute when Ashley Addison crossed and Ollie Buckley headed just wide.

The Green side seemed to be holding their own, but a moment of quality allowed the home side to double their lead in the 27th minute, as a superb pass from O’Connor put Light through to shoot home his second goal.

Leverstock came very close to a response two minutes later as Addison got on the end of a cross from Curtis Donaldson with a header that brought a brilliant save out of Hoddesdon keeper Lee Robinson. Robinson stopped the ball on the line with one hand, then dived to smother the loose ball as Addison came in to follow up.

Instead of being back in the game, Leverstock found themselves three goals down on 39 minutes thanks to an unfortunate fluke. Donaldson was clearing from his own penalty area, but the ball struck Light on the back just outside the box, and looped back over the stranded Liam Jahn to give the Hoddesdon player a hat-trick goal that he knew little about.

The second half produced no further goals, but some more fine goalkeeping. In the 47th minute Leverstock were denied again as Donaldson’s pass put Buckley through on goal, but Robinson turned his shot round the post.

On 59 minutes it was Jahn’s turn to impress as he kept out a Hoddesdon free-kick at the far post.

Three minutes later, Connor Deadman’s free-kick was flicked on by a Hoddesdon defender, but Robinson produced another great save to prevent the own-goal.

On 76 minutes Jahn saved from point-blank range to prevent Tommy Wade adding a fourth Hoddesdon goal.

There was little danger of the match turning around, but Leverstock continued to battle until the end, with Deadman almost grabbing a consolation goal three minutes from time with a shot that went just wide.

At the other end, Hoddesdon substitute Mark Summers was clean through but shot into the side netting.

Paul Hunt’s Leverstock side have now completed their run of four games against title-chasing teams and have come out of it with three points and their heads held high after performing well in each game.

They must now turn their attention to picking up some more much-needed points from a run of games against mid-table and lower sides, starting with a home game against London Tigers tomorrow night.

Hoddesdon Town: 1. Lee Robinson, 2. Ollie Sharman (12. Michael Elliott 82 mins), 3. Mark Twumasi, 4. Matt Thompson, 5. Glenn Draper, 6. Ryan McMenemy, 7. Ricky Light, 8. Charlie Edwards, 9. Dan Ferrigno (16. Mark Summers 84 mins), 10. Tommy Wade (15. Joss Lillis 77 mins), 11. Brett O’Connor. Subs not used: 14. Danny Charles, 17. Reece Buck.

Leverstock Green: 1. Liam Jahn, 2. Dan Bourne (15. Tyler Osbourne 74 mins), 3. Ross Adams, 4. Tommy Walsh (16. Stefan Chiriac 82 mins), 5. Jack Watts, 6. Joe Horwood, 7. Connor Deadman, 8. Alex McCarthy, 9. Ashley Addison, 10. Ollie Buckley (12. Ryan Laville 65 mins), 11. Curtis Donaldson. Subs not used: 14. Jon Davies, 17. Jack Bridges.