Leverstock Green 2 Northwood 0
Saturday 25th April 2026
| NORTHWOOD | |||
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| 1 | Olly Sinclair | ||
| 2 | Andrew Osei-Bonsu © | ||
| 3 | Chase Matthew | ||
| 4 | Richie Mbele (79m)  |
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| 5 | Hamid Seisay | ||
| 6 | Freddie Ford (43m) | ||
| 7 | Alie Bangura | ||
| 8 | Seth Patrick | ||
| 9 | Hamza Miezou (64m) | ||
| 10 | Tobi Faleye (56m) | ||
| 11 | Mack Miskin (88m) | ||
| Substitutes | |||
| 12 | Riley Loveday (56m) | ||
| 14 | Michael Kelly (64m) | ||
| 15 | Dani Cruz (88m) | ||
| 16 | Bryan Mankumbani (43m) | ||
| 17 | Tommy Cooney (79m) | ||
Leverstock: Ashton Broome-Alexander, George Mitchell-Gears (Callum Neal 60m), Rio Beach, Dan Pett, Kombe Kawimbe, Ryan Carruthers (George Eldridge 69m), Joe McCarthy (Ashton Corder 74m), Ademide Baruwa, Jeffrey Sekyere, Nat Connolly (Carmicheal Uchenna 51m), Iker Leon |
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As the Woods finished their stint in the Southern League with relegation, Leverstock Green secured twelfth place in the table with an amazing seventh successive victory during a purple patch that has seen them concede just one goal.
Northwood used the game to blood some youngsters from the Under 18s with five of the successful young side included in the squad and two of them making their first-ever start at Step 4 – defender Chase Matthew and midfielder Tobi Faleye. Goalkeeper Olly Sinclair returned in goal with Dani Cruz also on the bench as cover.
The home side started strongly and a corner was met by a firm header from Ryan Carruthers saw Cruz stretch to tip over the bar. However, with just ten minutes on the clock, a cross from Joe McCarthy found top scorer Jeffrey Sekyere who took a step before shooting. Though Sinclair saved his low effort, he couldn’t hold it and Iker Noguera Leon pounced to slot home from the loose ball.
Levy could have doubled their advantage five minutes later as a through-ball saw Sekyere beat the on-rushing Sinclair, but Woods skipper Andrew Osei-Bonsu was covering and managed to clear the ball.
It took twenty minutes for the Woods to record their first effort on goal and it could have brought an equaliser as Alie Bangura made ground and then fed Faleye who strode into the box before shooting but diving goalkeeper Ashton Broome-Alexander managed to block with his feet to deny him.
On 27 minutes, a long throw from Hamid Seisay was recycled and Bangura managed to get in a good strike from the edge of the box but the home keeper, despite being off his line, did well to claw the ball out of the air and Freddie Ford was unable to get to the loose ball in front of goal as Kombe Kawimbe completed the clearance.
Unfortunately, Ford’s afternoon was ended when he came out worst in a clash of heads which saw him substituted by Bryan Mankumbani. Fortunately, a visit to the Hospital later for tests proved positive.
With the home side still only holding the narrow early lead, the second half started with hope for a Woods comeback and just three minutes in, Bangura set up Hamza Miezou for a good chance but he poked his shot wide. Soon after, a defensive slip gifted Levy a good chance but Noguera Leon saw a weak effort dealt with by Cruz and then Northwood created another opportunity as Faleye and Bangura combined to set up Miezou for another shot on goal but it lacked power and was easy for Broome-Alexander.
PHOTOS by James Brown
A debut for Riley Loveday followed as he replaced Faleye and that was soon followed by Michael Kelly coming on for Miezou, making it all five Under 18s involved on the afternoon for the Woods and the home side made a similar move with two of their own substitutions.
But it was Levy who finished the game on top. After 75 minutes, Sinclair saved well to deny Sekyere’s shot on the turn but just two minutes later two subs combined to double the lead as Carmichael Uchenna surged through the midfield area before slipping the ball to George Eldridge who slotted home.
It could have been a third on 83 minutes as Ashton Corder was unable to convert a good cross from Callum Neal and the same player then had another effort saved by Sinclair soon after.
Manager Tommy Cooney had replaced Richie Mbele for the final ten minutes and even goalkeeper Cruz got a few minutes on the pitch as an outfield player as a typical end of season fixture drew to a close.
The Woods finish the season third from bottom with just five league wins recorded during the campaign of 42 matches - the joint least-ever league wins in a season in their history, tying with the five recorded in 1973/74 when members of the Middlesex County League; though that was from only 28 matches played. Similarly, the 13 draws Northwood picked up during the season just finished was also the most ever recorded in any season. They now return to what is now known as Step 5 football for the first time since the Woods were promoted from the equivalent level way back in 1992 and will need to rebuild.
REPORT by Alan Evans
