FA CUP PRELIMINARY ROUND

The Hare's were in control of the match from the start and they created several opportunities in the opening 20 minutes but they were unable to take advantage of these, and this allowed Leverstock to gradually get into the game and they began to create chances of their own without success, until the 33rd minute when they were extremely fortunate to open the scoring as the goal was created by the Hare's goalkeeper MATT ELSTON-BULL going to collect the ball on the edge of the box and RYAN EGAN trying to clear the ball at the same time and this resulted in the players colliding and the ball spinning into the path of the unmarked visitors striker Lian Hind and he had an easy job of running into the box and knocking the ball home.
The remainder of the half was fairly even, although in the 40th minute ALDEN TRENHOLME had to be substituted as he had sustained a back injury. The team also suffered a further set back at the resumption of the 2nd half when RYAN EGAN was unable to continue through a further injury and team line up had to be rearranged to suit.
The Reds started the half on the attack and had the better of the early exchanges with JEROME FERGUSON striking a fierce shot on goal in the 51st minute which the Greens goalkeeper pushed away for corner. The Hare's continue to push for an equaliser and in the 56th minute they were rewarded when from a ball played into the edge of the visitors penalty area the Leverstock goalkeeper came out to clear ball and he crashed into the Hares attacking players and the ball ran loose and from the me lee of players the ball arrived at the feet of MARK SMITH and he planted the ball into the empty net.
The match was again evenly contested from the restart and it looked like the contest would end up as a draw, however towards the end of the game the visitors began to get the better possession and in the 77th minute their Ryan Upton scored the critical goal to regain the lead. The Hare's endeavoured to recover from the setback with a series of attacks but these were well controlled by the opposition and they held on to progress into the next round.

Team: Elston-Bull, Kinnane, Trenholme (Ferguson 40), Egan (Grant 45), Bennell, Gill, Porter (Clarke-Samuals 75),
Chennells, Smith, Newman
Sub. Not used: Barton.

PHOTO: MARK SMITH Goal Scorer