Walthamstow 3-2 Leverstock Green

Walthamstow progress to the next round of the FA Trophy after a 3-2 win at home against Leverstock Green.

As a result, our league fixture at home against Witham Town has been postponed. This has been rescheduled for Tuesday 27th October.

Stow looked a lot better in the first half compared to Tuesday night, managing to get forward and put a lot of crosses into the box which eventually came to nothing. Tayo Oyebola found Tristan Goodridge at the back post who put the ball back into the box which was cleared for a corner. From that corner, Shaun Mavididi’s first cross was cleared back out to him. The winger swung the ball back in which was headed off the line by defender Vladyslav Karuchok.

The blues kept looking for the opener. Joden Trickett came close when his deflected effort from outside the box trickled into the hands of goalkeeper Finlay Penniston-Walker.

Despite Stow being on the front foot, Leverstock went in front in the 32nd minute. The visitors’ free kicks kept going short, and this one was flicked on at the front post by Callum Neal to give the Greens the advantage.

Trickett came close again ten minutes later when he headed wide from an Ozzy Adeniji cross.

The second half continued with Stow looking to find the net through Adeniji and Trickett again. The right back got to the by-line where he found Joden but his effort was blocked.

Five minutes later, Stow legend Connor Scully returned to the pitch coming off the bench. Unfortunately, he was subbed off 10 minutes later from an injury, with Elijah Grant replacing him.

After he was taken off, Stow found the equalising goal. Shaun Mavididi’s shot deflected off a Leverstock defender, but fell for James Collins who slotted the ball through the goalkeepers legs and into the net.

Right after the equaliser, Stow went in front. Elijah Grant did incredibly well to keep the ball from going out of play, and gave it to Shaun Mavididi who drove into the box and found the bottom corner for his first goal in a Stow shirt.

The momentum continued for Stow as they hit the bar shortly after. Mavididi’s cross landed for Tristan Goodridge whose effort hit the bar and fell for Grant who attempted a bicycle kick which did not come off.

Leverstock weren’t behind for long and equalised through a brilliant goal from substitute Ryan Carruthers. His shot from distance flew into the net past Luke Mewitt to bring the tie level.

They weren’t level for long either as Stow found the winning goal from substitute Elijah Grant. Luke Warner-Eley’s corner was punched by the goalkeeper onto the crossbar and out for another corner, which was met by Grant to head home and into the net.

Stow managed to hang on despite pressure from Leverstock in the closing stages and will find out their opponents on Tuesday. For now, it’s a quick turnaround as they travel to Tilbury on Bank Holiday Monday.