Results > First team > Report
Sat 24th Mar 2018
Spartan South Midlands Premier Division
Sponsored by Ralph Griffiths
TAFC First team 0-2 Leverstock Green
Spartan South Midlands Premier Division
Sponsored by Ralph Griffiths
TAFC First team 0-2 Leverstock Green
OLD FAILINGS REAR THEIR UGLY HEAD
After a fine away win at 5th placed Biggleswade FC on Tuesday night we had the chance to collect another valuable 3 points on Saturday in our bid to move away from the relegation zone. Our opponents were local rivals Leverstock Green, but the old familiar problems in front of goal let us down and the 6th placed visitors walked away with all the points.
We remain in 16th place but we are still too close for comfort to the teams below us and the games we had in hand are being whittled away. We had our chances but were rebuffed by a string of superb saves from Green's goalkeeper Mackenzie Taylor, who they voted as their man of the match. Our young custodian Lewis Todd was also busy making some superb saves but the visitors did find a clinical edge when it mattered around the hour mark and then deep into added time at the end of the game to add an extra bit of gloss to the score line.
In a lively first half we did have the ball in the net within the opening minute after keeper Taylor made a super save from Mark Riddick's header but the follow up header was deemed a foul. The play was open and entertaining and Reece Cameron was presented with a shooting chance but he smashed his shot well over the bar.
Both sides had chances with James Butler heading over a corner then from another his Captain Sam Joliffe shot wide. The visitors left back Casey Linsell went on a superb run and stung the hands of Lewis Todd. Luke Dunstan's run and cross into the area presented either Max Hercules or Joe Fitzgerald with a great shooting opportunity as the ball run loose in the area but unfortunately they left it for each other and the chance was lost.
Midway through the half David Lawrence pulled Green's best chance wide of the far post and Taylor was again called into action to tip over a terrific right shot from Chris Vardy. As the half drew to a close we started to put our opponents under pressure and a Max Hercules free kick picked out Mark Riddick whose close range header looked destined for the net until Taylor reacted with a flying save to tip the ball round the post.
Not to be outdone Lewis Todd punched away a fine shot from Nick Jackson but due to the antics of both keepers the half ended scoreless with us having been the better side and we were unlucky not to be ahead. HT Score 0-0.
Not much happened during the early stages of the second period but around the hour mark Nick Jackson was played through but stand in full back Jack Sunderland made a terrific block. But we were unable to clear our lines and David Lawrence took full advantage to squeeze the ball past Lewis Todd from a tight angle. Score 0-1.
We have not had much luck this season in the League and you could visibly see the confidence levels amongst the players drop following the goal and we had to endure a difficult period as Levy went for the killer second goal. Todd punched away a shot from Chris Gosling but the defence held firm and then we threw caution to the wind in search of an equaliser.
As a result we left ourselves vulnerable to quick counter attacks and Lewis Todd had to make great saves from Luke Marsh and Lawrence. With two minutes of normal time left Dave O'Connor found some space in the opposition area, after 2 defenders collided, and his fierce low shot looked goal bound until Taylor produced the best save of the match to get down and tip the ball round the post. From the resulting corner James Butler saw his header cleared off the line.
Four minutes into added time and with us virtually playing without a defence Nick Jackson ran through to score and put the game to bed. FT Score 0-2.
A disappointing result and again our poor finishing is letting us down. Okay we faced an inspired keeper but we need to more clinical when opportunities come our way. Its these small margins that are making a difference between winning and losing.
There was one ray of light and that was the first appearance of centre forward Luke Little who scored 27 goals in 27 games for Unite MK. He settled in quickly and will be an asset to the team.
Teams:
TA:1 Lewis Todd 2 Jack Sunderland 3 Connor Church 4 Mark Riddick 5 James Butler 6 Joe Fitzgerald (12 George Carbery 76) 7 Max Hercules (17 Tommy Twelves 62) 8 Sam Joliffe (Capt) 9 Chris Vardy (14 Dave O,Connor 76) 10 Luke Dunstan 11 Luke Little. Subs not used: 15 Steve Nott-Macaire 16 Ben Johnson
LG:1 Mackenzie Taylor 2 Luke Nugent (15 Ben Darby 71) 3 Casey Linsell 4 Shane Wood (Capt) 5 Liam McCrohan 6 Chris Golsing 7 Ross Adams (12 Luke Preedy 57) 8 Chris Marsh (16 Luke Marsh 76) 9 David Lawrence 10 Nick Jackson 11 Reece Cameron. Sub not used: 14 Jay Caines
Scorers:
TA:-
LG:David Lawrence (61), Nick Jackson (90+4)
Crowd:?
LG Web:http://www.levgreenfc.co.uk
After a fine away win at 5th placed Biggleswade FC on Tuesday night we had the chance to collect another valuable 3 points on Saturday in our bid to move away from the relegation zone. Our opponents were local rivals Leverstock Green, but the old familiar problems in front of goal let us down and the 6th placed visitors walked away with all the points.
We remain in 16th place but we are still too close for comfort to the teams below us and the games we had in hand are being whittled away. We had our chances but were rebuffed by a string of superb saves from Green's goalkeeper Mackenzie Taylor, who they voted as their man of the match. Our young custodian Lewis Todd was also busy making some superb saves but the visitors did find a clinical edge when it mattered around the hour mark and then deep into added time at the end of the game to add an extra bit of gloss to the score line.
In a lively first half we did have the ball in the net within the opening minute after keeper Taylor made a super save from Mark Riddick's header but the follow up header was deemed a foul. The play was open and entertaining and Reece Cameron was presented with a shooting chance but he smashed his shot well over the bar.
Both sides had chances with James Butler heading over a corner then from another his Captain Sam Joliffe shot wide. The visitors left back Casey Linsell went on a superb run and stung the hands of Lewis Todd. Luke Dunstan's run and cross into the area presented either Max Hercules or Joe Fitzgerald with a great shooting opportunity as the ball run loose in the area but unfortunately they left it for each other and the chance was lost.
Midway through the half David Lawrence pulled Green's best chance wide of the far post and Taylor was again called into action to tip over a terrific right shot from Chris Vardy. As the half drew to a close we started to put our opponents under pressure and a Max Hercules free kick picked out Mark Riddick whose close range header looked destined for the net until Taylor reacted with a flying save to tip the ball round the post.
Not to be outdone Lewis Todd punched away a fine shot from Nick Jackson but due to the antics of both keepers the half ended scoreless with us having been the better side and we were unlucky not to be ahead. HT Score 0-0.
Not much happened during the early stages of the second period but around the hour mark Nick Jackson was played through but stand in full back Jack Sunderland made a terrific block. But we were unable to clear our lines and David Lawrence took full advantage to squeeze the ball past Lewis Todd from a tight angle. Score 0-1.
We have not had much luck this season in the League and you could visibly see the confidence levels amongst the players drop following the goal and we had to endure a difficult period as Levy went for the killer second goal. Todd punched away a shot from Chris Gosling but the defence held firm and then we threw caution to the wind in search of an equaliser.
As a result we left ourselves vulnerable to quick counter attacks and Lewis Todd had to make great saves from Luke Marsh and Lawrence. With two minutes of normal time left Dave O'Connor found some space in the opposition area, after 2 defenders collided, and his fierce low shot looked goal bound until Taylor produced the best save of the match to get down and tip the ball round the post. From the resulting corner James Butler saw his header cleared off the line.
Four minutes into added time and with us virtually playing without a defence Nick Jackson ran through to score and put the game to bed. FT Score 0-2.
A disappointing result and again our poor finishing is letting us down. Okay we faced an inspired keeper but we need to more clinical when opportunities come our way. Its these small margins that are making a difference between winning and losing.
There was one ray of light and that was the first appearance of centre forward Luke Little who scored 27 goals in 27 games for Unite MK. He settled in quickly and will be an asset to the team.
Teams:
TA:1 Lewis Todd 2 Jack Sunderland 3 Connor Church 4 Mark Riddick 5 James Butler 6 Joe Fitzgerald (12 George Carbery 76) 7 Max Hercules (17 Tommy Twelves 62) 8 Sam Joliffe (Capt) 9 Chris Vardy (14 Dave O,Connor 76) 10 Luke Dunstan 11 Luke Little. Subs not used: 15 Steve Nott-Macaire 16 Ben Johnson
LG:1 Mackenzie Taylor 2 Luke Nugent (15 Ben Darby 71) 3 Casey Linsell 4 Shane Wood (Capt) 5 Liam McCrohan 6 Chris Golsing 7 Ross Adams (12 Luke Preedy 57) 8 Chris Marsh (16 Luke Marsh 76) 9 David Lawrence 10 Nick Jackson 11 Reece Cameron. Sub not used: 14 Jay Caines
Scorers:
TA:-
LG:David Lawrence (61), Nick Jackson (90+4)
Crowd:?
LG Web:http://www.levgreenfc.co.uk
