Hard Working Jets Draw with Green
Jets 0 Leverstock Green 0
Spartan South Midlands Premier
12th August 2009
Leverstock Green started this game the better and had all the early pressure. Jets first chance came on 11 mins when a really good run through from Spencer Bellotti created an opportunity for Tim O’Mara but the Green defence was able to get back and block. Just a minute late Bellotti won a good header and the ball fell to Ian Bywater who sent a 25-yard pile-driver just over the Green bar. Then from the resulting goal-kick, Paul Turner picked up the ball and fired in another shot that was also just over.
Jets went close to taking the lead on 19 minutes when a long distance drive by Tim O’Mara was tipped onto the bar by Green ‘keeper Gary White, and then spencer bellotti put the rebound wide.
Jets continued to have chances and on 25 mins another Bywater effort slipped just past the post. Green had their best chance of the half in the 26th minute when Pritchard shot wide after some good work by Hammond and Johnson.
Jets had more chances on the half hour mark with first a blocked Paul Haynes shot, then a Tim O’Mara effort saved and finally a Spencer Bellotti shot from the rebound cleared off the line.
Jets went down to 10 men on 32 mins when Paul Haynes was given a straight red for a badly timed tackle after he went chasing after the ball feeling that he had just been fouled himself.
Despite going down to 10-men Jets continued to take the initiative for the rest of the first half. Nathan Roberts had his shot saved on 35 mins, Tim O’Mara got the ball in the net on 38 mins but was ruled out for a tight offside, and a smartly taken O’Mara free-kick on 40 mins was well saved by the Green ‘keeper. HT 0-0
Jets had the first chance of the second half when Lee Grace chipped just over the bar on 48 mins. Leverstock had a chance on 50 mins when a quickly taken free-kick by Hammond found Conway in the area but he put his shot wide.
Tim O’Mara picked up a long through ball on 54 mins, toed it up and then chipped over the bar.
Leverstock were now coming more and more into the game and it needed some outstanding defensive work from Chris Ingham, Jamie Parsons and Nathan Roberts to keep them out.
On 70 minutes Bellotti shot well over after some good work between O’Mara and Grace. At the other end it needed Chris Ingham to save the day with an important header at the back post on 72 mins.
Steve Brown came on for Chris Harding on 75 mins and almost immediately had an impact when he shot over on 78 mins.
Green then had probably their best chance to win the game on 80 mins. Hammond provided the cross which was picked up by Welling, who fed the ball into the path of Hallissey but his shot was well saved by Beasant for a corner.
The final chance of the game fell to Jets in stoppage time when a dipping 35-yarder from Steve Brown just dropped over the Green goal with the ‘keeper beaten. FT 0-0
Both sides had good chances to win it and worked hard throughout the game, a draw was probably a fair result. Jets Man of the Match was Chris Ingham for his outstanding work in defence.
