Warner-Eley to the rescue for Green

Ampthill are bottom of the league, but they had won their previous two games.

Injuries and suspensions combined to rob manager Dene Gardner of 10 first team players. Reserve team goalkeeper Jordan I’Anson and under-18 player Jaiden Shelley-McPherson were both drafted in for their first team debuts.

Chances were at a premium on a surface on which both teams were struggling to keep their feet, but in the 29th minute Leverstock made the breakthrough via the direct route. A kick from I’Anson was flicked on by Shelley-McPherson to Luke Warner-Eley, who threaded it through for Nathan Jellow to slide the ball under the keeper and put Green into a 1-0 lead.

Ampthill had a chance in the 37th minute when I’Anson came out to punch away a cross from Danny Butler but missed the ball, however Andrew Sinclair shot over the empty net.

The visitors made a strong start to the second half, and levelled in the 51st minute when Danny Butler got on the end of a cross from Charlie Cullen.

Worse was to follow for Leverstock six minutes later when an attack broke down and they were caught out by a hefty Ampthill clearance upfield.

Sledge Mubama was the last defender and he hesitated and was robbed by Washington, who was left clean through to slot the ball past I’Anson and put Ampthill 2-1 up.

It might have been 3-1 on 65 minutes, but I’Anson made a good save.

Leverstock thought they had equalised on 74 minutes when David Sobers set up Warner-Eley to stab the ball under the keeper, but he was offside.

However, three minutes later Warner-Eley hit a superb strike to level the scores at 2-2.

Leverstock are at home to Ware in the Herts Senior Cup on Tuesday, and next Saturday they are at home to AFC Dunstable in the league.