Ten-man Leverstock Green slip to defeat against London Colney

The home side took the lead with little over two minutes on the clock. An innocuous-looking cross from the right was not cleared, and Stefan Geraldis picked up the ball on the edge of the box and curled a precise shot into the top corner of the net.

Leverstock were giving the ball away far too much, and they could have gone two down in the ninth minute when the ball was given away in their own box, but Kieran Jimmy pulled off a great save from James Ewington’s shot.

However, the second goal eventually arrived in the 26th minute when Dan Fitzgerald hit a low shot into the corner of the net after a good build-up.

Fitzgerald should have made in three four minutes later when he got on the end of a corner, but headed wide from right in front of goal.

The home goalkeeper faced little threat from a Leverstock side that was unable to keep the ball or pass it accurately. T

hings improved a little in the second half, and there was a good chance for Elias Moses on 65 minutes, but he shot wide from six yards out.

The Leverstock side was reduced to 10 men with 15 minutes left in very harsh circumstances, as Liam O’Keefe was red-carded for what the referee believed to be deliberate handball to prevent a goalscoring chance five yards outside the box.

London Colney almost added a third goal in stoppage time when a shot from close range hit the bar.

London Colney: 1. Jack Smith, 2. Dan Power, 3. Bob Armstrong, 4. Shaun Murphy, 5. Sam Dollan, 6. Greg Shaw, 7. Spencer Clarke-Mardel, 8. Dan Fitzgerald, 9. James Ewington, 10. Rhys Lawrence (16. Cain Davey 90+2 mins), 11. Stefan Geraldis (15. Paul Armstrong 84 mins). Subs not used: 12. Jack Woods, 14. Archie McClennand, 17. Felix Hull.

Leverstock Green: 1. Kieran Jimmy, 2. Damien Cruickshank, 3. Callum Wright, 4. Liam O’Keefe, 5. Gavin Smith, 6. James Sears, 7. Billy Smith (12. Timi Salako 84 mins), 8. Mark Woolley (14. Tommy Walsh H/T), 9. Carl McCluskey, 10. Elias Moses, 11. Louis Bircham (15. Nathan Jallow 57 mins). Subs not used: 16. Danny Arnett, 17. Jimmy Talbot.