Leven Royals U15s

22/02/2026

Barnard Castle Tornadoes 2 Leven Royals 2

Leven took on table topping Barnard Castle in a reverse of our last game which also ended 2-2 two weeks ago.

Leven were once again missing some players, through injury or illness. However, it was great to welcome goalkeeper, Sam, back to the team, who was fit enough to return from a long injury lay off, even though he wasn’t quite fit enough to take his goal kicks.

Prior to the game, we were informed the ref scheduled to take the game couldn’t make it, so we were grateful to one of Barneys younger age group coaches, who agreed to take the game. Based on the previous game, it was a thankless task as it was a feisty affair!
The 1st half started off pretty even but it was Barney who took the lead. After their player went through, Sam made a great 1v1 save. The rebound fell to the Barney forward who showed excellent footwork and composure to evade the covering Leven defenders before putting in a lovely chip in to the top corner.
The game returned to being quite tight until the last minute of the half, when Tom showed show lovely footwork at the byline and fired in a lovely low cross but Barney scrambled it clear for a corner. However, Leven weren’t to be denied, when the resultant corner was powerfully headed home from Luke with a great header. Despite hitting the top of the net, the ball bounced down in to the keepers hands. For a brief moment it looked like it might not be given but thankfully it was in the end.

H/T 1-1

Leven started the 2nd half full of confidence and it wasn’t long until we took the lead. A sublime pass from Oliver, who’d just moved from his more familiar role in defence into midfield, sent pacey Danny away, who smashed his finish into to the top corner.

After that Barney began taking control of the game, with a number of Leven players picking up injuries, but due to the lack of subs, they had to battle through.

Midway through the half controversy occurred, when a free kick from the far side of the pitch went straight in for Barney. However, the goal was chalked off, with the ref citing it was an indirect free kick. This incensed the Barney players.

Their feelings didn’t improve 5 minutes later when another free kick was ruled out. This time it wasn’t as controversial as the ref had clearly told the player taking the free kick to wait while he sorted out the distance of the wall. Nonetheless, things were tense.

Barney continued to push and eventually they got their equaliser, when a corner was only partially cleared and Barney forced home from
close range.

A number of Leven players were clearly struggling at this point, but to their credit they battled hard to keep Barney at bay. In the last minute Leven could have won it when Danny burst through 1v1 but the Barney keeper did well to keep out the 1st effort, and then Danny put rebound wide from a tight angle. Just after the rebound was missed, Danny was taken out late by the recovering Barney defender. There was a good case for a pen but in the end, the ref blew for the end of the game so it finished 2-2.
In the end, this was probably about right.
We were really proud of the players who once again battled hard to get a deserved draw against top of the table, even with a number of injuries.

Hopefully we show the same commitment next week.

UTLR.

09/11/2025

Prissick Rovers Athletic 2 - 2 Leven Royals

Before today’s game, both teams observed a minutes silence to commemorate Remembrance Sunday.

The game started pretty competitively but without too much goalmouth action. There was a worrying incident, mid way through the half, when a Prissick player fell on the hard astroturf pitch and sustained a worrying looking shoulder injury. Everyone at Leven hope he’s okay.

On the pitch, Leven began to threaten and it wasn’t long until the pressure told. Danny had his initial shot well saved but he was quickest to react to force the rebound home. It wasn’t long till Danny got his second, when a long corner from Luca landed at his feet and he struck home to make it 2 nil. That was the score at half time.

Leven looked full of confidence at the start the second half and it didn’t take long to create their first chance. A lovely chipped pass from Alfie, found Tom at the edge of the box, his classy effort looked in all the way, but it rebounded off the cross bar. Leven came close soon after, when Danny went through on goal but his finish went just wide. It was all Leven, and they went close again, when Alfie’s shot was well saved, Tom’s close range shot from the rebound was brillantly blocked on the line by the Prissick defender.
The game changed mid way through the half, when a long free kick found the Prissick attacker on the left hand side of the box, who fired home to make 2-1.
Leven went back on the attack, and a close range header from Danny was brilliantly tipped over.
Leven continued to press and Ahmed hit the foot of the post following some tricky play from Tom.
With the 3rd goal not coming, it always felt like a sucker punch may come, and so it proved, when Freddie did well initially to challenge in the striker in the box, but it fell to the Prissick striker, who finished it to make it 2-2.

After leading 2 nil and having so many chances to make it 3, this game felt a bit like a loss at the end, but the lads played well, and its now 3 games unbeaten as we look to move up the table so they shouldn’t lose any confidence.
Well done to Prissick, they made some good blocks and saves when needed and finished their chances when they came.
Leven’s next game is against Eaglescliffe Elementis, where we hope to continue our unbeaten run.

Thanks as always to our sponsors Nando’s
UTLR!

26/10/2025

Leven Royals 7 - 1 Newton Aycliffe Youth
Leven were back in league action this week at home to Newton Aycliffe. In the 6th minute Tom used his pace and close control to get in to the box, and was brought down to gain a penalty kick. Captain Coops, who was back in midfield after a few weeks covering as an emergency keeper, stepped up to slot it home. Leven made it 2 shortly after, when Arthur did great to win the ball in midfield and played a lovely ball in to Alfie, who from 30 yards arrowed a great strike in to the top right hand corner. Leven made it 3, when Rhys closed down a clearance and raced through to confidently slot home. H/T 3-0
Leven got a fourth goal early in the 2nd half after some lovely interplay found Coops 25 yards out, who finished with a stunning effort into the top corner. Alfie made it 5 with a towering header from a corner and soon completed his hatrick with a finish from the centre of the box to make it 6. Newton Aycliffe pulled one back when Sam pulled off an excellent save with his legs following a close range strike, but the ball span in the air and Rhys couldn’t quite manage to hook the ball off the line. It was harsh on Rhys who had a great game and had done well to get the goal line to try and clear it in the 1st place.
Leven completed the scoring when Ahmed dug out a superb curling effort in to the top corner. It was like prime Bergkamp. Full time 7-1.
Overall it was a great performance from Leven, which will hopefully kick start our season, starting against Cleveland Juniors next week.
Thanks as always to our sponsors Nando’s.
UTLR!

Helping you to realise your dreams since 1952: our driver is your success. Find out how we can help you.

19/10/2025

Leven AFC 5 - 0 Leven Royals
This week’s game was a cup game against our club colleagues, Division 2, Leven AFC.
Prior to the game, it was great to have keeper Sam back from his fractured wrist. However, thanks to the frankly ridiculous decision of Ingleby Manor School’s Ed Visits co-ordinator to arrange a school trip during the season, we were missing 5 players, which led to us starting the game with just 10 players.
The lads started the game well, and competed really well and the fact that we were a player short wasn’t really noticable.
That changed in the 30th minute when a good move down the AFC right hand side led to cross coming in, which sailed into the far top corner. Five minutes later, AFC doubled their lead, when a good cross from the left, was finished by the opposite winger who ghosted in at the back post and finished well. H/T 2-0 AFC.
The 2nd half began much the same as the 1st, with the game being pretty even. However, as the half progressed, AFC began to dominate and Royals struggled to find an out ball and were pretty much camped in their own half. Eventually the pressure told, when a free kick was initially saved, but the rebound fell to the AFC attacker, who finished well to make it 3-0. The fourth came within a minute when the AFC striker burst through and scored with a low finish. With 20 minutes still to go, it looked like tiredness might set in and heads might drop and AFC might get a bag full but this didn’t really happen. They did score a 5th when a goal line scramble as adjudged to have crossed the line. In the last 5 minutes, Danny, who had worked his socks off as a lone striker all game, went on a mazy run and was tugged back in box. Unfortunately, Royals didn’t manage to get the consolation their efforts probably deserved, when the well struck penalty went just wide of the post. The game ended 5-0.
Well done to AFC and good luck in the next round.
From the Royals point of view, while it’s always disappointing to lose, there was a lot to like from the performance and hopefully with a fully fit squad, we can push on and move up the league table, starting next week away to Newton Aycliffe.
Thanks as always to our sponsor Nando’s
UTLR!

05/10/2025

FC Hartlepool Reds 2 - 0 Leven Royals

Leven’s 1st away trip of the season was at FC Hartlepool in very blustery conditions. Leven started the brighter with Danny looking sharp and Luke forcing a good save from the Hartlepool keeper with a left foot volley. Hartlepool came into mid way through the 1st half l, when a cross from the right was put over from close range. The game went a bit quiet until late in the 1st half Hartlepool scored direct from a corner, with the strong wind playing a big part. Leven almost levelled just before the break, when Ahmed fired wide. 1-0 H/T
The 2nd half started much like the 2nd, with Leven playing some decent stuff but not creating too much. To try and create a bit more going forward we took off a defender and put more players further forward. Unfortunately this didn’t really have the desired affect and led to Hartlepool looking more dangerous on the break. It was from one of those breaks, that Hartlepool got a penalty, when Charlie brought down the attacker. However, Charlie got back up, to save the resulting pen. Unfortunately, Leven couldn’t force the equaliser and it was Hartlepool who secured the win, when the striker burst through with a mazy run and fired a shot into the top corner. The game finished with Rhys stabbing a shot from a corner, which the Hartlepool keeper saved. It was a close game which Hartlepool deserved to win due to them being a bit more clinical in the final third of the pitch.
Thanks to our sponsors, Nando’s
UTLR

28/09/2025

Leven Royals 6-1 Nunthorpe Athletic
Leven welcomed Nunthorpe Athletic to Conyers in a cup game. Although Nunthorpe operate in a division above us, we have played them plenty of times and our results have been mixed at best.
Although this was our 3rd home game of the season, it was the 1st time we’ve played on grass and it was the 1st time we’ve played on the senior pitch in a competitive game.
Due to injury and illness, Leven started with a number of players playing in different positions, including Charlie, who answered the call to play in goal.
The game started badly for Leven, when Nunthorpe scored in the 3rd minute with a sweet strike from the edge of the box.
The early setback and the changes could have led us to having a really difficult afternoon, but the boys showed great resilience and plenty of talent, as we responded with some lovely football. We got our rewards, when Alfie was tripped in the box. He picked himself up to calmly slot the penalty home. Leven soon took the lead, when Luca sent over a great ball, Alfie’s initial header was well blocked but he reacted quickest to stab home a real strikers goal.
Leven generally dominated the ball but Nunthorpe showed they were still a threat, when they volleyed over with a great effort. However, is was Leven who scored next, when Alfie’s free kick was won by Freddie. His initial header was well blocked but the ball rebounded to Harry C, who steered a controlled volley into the far corner from 10 yards. Nunthorpe responded and we relied on Charlie to pull off a point blank save to keep it to 3-1 at half time.
Leven brought Danny on up front in the 2nd half, and it was he who netted Leven’s 4th. He broke through and his 1st shot was well saved, and the keeper made and even better one with the rebound but Danny wasn’t to be denied when his 3rd attempt went in, despite the defender trying to block it on the line.
On a warm day on a big pitch, Leven’s effort levels were extremely impressive. This was evident for Leven’s 5th goal, when Luke broke through, he showed great composure to square the ball to Rhys, who’d ran 40 yards from the wingback position to calmly slot home. It was just reward for a lung busting performance.
Leven’s 6th goal came from a long pass from Charlie to Danny, who once again, outpaced the defence to get through on goal. This time the keeper had no chance as Danny curled his effort into the top corner.
The game ended with Leven defending a flurry of corners, which we defending very well. This was one of many pleasing aspects of the performance. We were strong and organised at the back, tireless and dominant in midfield and a threat up front. Charlie also had a great game in goal.
This is the standard we have now set and we need to keep to it for the rest of the season, starting next week away to Hartlepool Reds.
Thanks to our sponsors Nando’s
UTLR!

21/09/2025

Leven Royals 0 - Eaglescliffe Elementis 4
After a week off, we returned to action with a home game against early pace setters Eaglescliffe Elementis, who had won their opening 2 games.
The day started badly when Sam who was looking great in the warm up, played a little too well and injured his wrist, saving a pile driver from Alfie. This led to a pre match reshuffle, which led to Charlie going in goal.
The game started relatively quietly, with Eaglescliffe having more of the ball and territory but not really causing Charlie too many problems in the Leven goal.
That changed in the 20th minute, when Eaglescliffe won the ball in midfield and they slipped the ball through to the striker, who finished well.
This brought the game to life a bit and Leven created their best chance of the half, when Ahmed stormed through on goal but his strike went just past the post. Eaglescliffe then responded with a chance going just wide, towards the end of what seemed like a very long half. H/T 1-0.
Leven changed things around a bit at half time, with a view to trying to get more control of the ball further up the field, but these changes didn’t really work as Eaglescliffe began to dominate. They eventually got their reward when they bundled in a corner 15 minutes into the 2nd half.
Their third came shortly after. Again, the goal coming from a corner. A lot of the Leven players felt that it was put in with the players hand but the goal stood. I’ll be honest, I never saw him handle it from where I was stood. Leven again made changes, going to 3 at the back and 5 in midfield, to try and get more control of the ball up the field, but again, this didn’t seem to work, and Eaglescliffe scored their 4th late on. This time, I did see a hand ball, it was clear as day, the striker almost caught it with both hands, controlling a high ball over the top. To be fair to him, he still had plenty to do, and finished it well.
The game ended 4-0 and whether or not Eaglescliffe’s last 2 goals should have counted, there’s no doubt they deserved their win.
From Leven’s point of view, it was a very disappointing and surprising performance. The lads had looked great in training in midweek but today looked flat from the off.
Whether it was the last minute changes, I’m not sure but we weren’t great today.
Special mention to Charlie, who once again showed his commitment to the team by agreeing without hesitation to go in goal at the last minute and he performed well.
Hopefully, things will improve next week, when we play Nunthorpe in the cup at home next week. UTLR

07/09/2025

Julie Roberts

Leven Royals 3 - 3 Riverside Whites

First game of the new season today and it didn’t take long to remember the joys of grass roots football. Mixed up pegs and wrong sized nets meant it took 40 minutes to get set up, only to thrn be moved on to the Astro turf pitch. I hope the teams who took the pitch after us appreciated the nets being ready for them!
Anyway, on to the game, Leven started in our smart new royal blue kits, sponsored by Nando’s and quickly got on the attack with Danny forcing an excellent save from the Riverside keeper. The game ebbed and flowed with both keepers and defenders making key contributions to keep the score at nil nil.
Eventually the deadlock was broken when Riverside scored an excellent free kick. The game was end to end and a bit frenetic but was calmed by a piece of quality when Arthur scored a superb controlled volley from 30 yards to make in 1-1. Riverside then came straight back when they scored their 2nd, pretty much straight from the restart. This was disappointing from Leven’s point of view, as it felt like we switched off after our goal. At half time it was 2-1 to Riverside.
2nd half began with Leven pressing for an equaliser, which eventually came via Ahmed, after a lovely set up from Luca. Both teams were going for the winner and both teams came close to going in front. In the end it was Riverside again, who went in front after they won the ball in Leven’s half and quickly broke down the left. The original cross was cut out but it fell to the Riverside player who tucked it away nicely. 3-2 to Riverside.
Leven again set out for an equaliser and came close on a few occasions, most notably, when Charlie had a free kick tipped on to the bar. Charlie wasn’t to be denied though and late in the game, we got another free kick, which this time was smashed into the top corner, giving the keeper no chance.
As with earlier in the game, Leven seemed to switch off after their goal and Riverside were only denied a winner by a superb save from Sam. In the end, it finished 3-3, which was probably about fair.
We’ve played Riverside Whites (previously Marton Whites) many times and they are always close games and today was no different. It was an entertaining game for which the players on both teams deserve a lot of credit.
The most pleasing thing from Leven’s perspective was there was excellent contributions from every player in the squad. The 80 minute games on bigger pitches means we are going to need everyone to step up and today everyone did. We also showed great character to come back from behind 3 times. Well done to everyone.

Thanks to our brilliant sponsors Nandos

Next game home to Eaglescliffe Elementis - Sunday 21st September.
UTLR!

07/09/2025

Leven Royals 3 - 3 Riverside Whites

First game of the new season today and it didn’t take long to remember the joys of grass roots football. Mixed up pegs and wrong sized nets meant it took 40 minutes to get set up, only to thrn be moved on to the Astro turf pitch. I hope the teams who took the pitch after us appreciated the nets being ready for them!
Anyway, on to the game, Leven started in our smart new royal blue kits, sponsored by Nando’s and quickly got on the attack with Danny forcing an excellent save from the Riverside keeper. The game ebbed and flowed with both keepers and defenders making key contributions to keep the score at nil nil.
Eventually the deadlock was broken when Riverside scored an excellent free kick. The game was end to end and a bit frenetic but was calmed by a piece of quality when Arthur scored a superb controlled volley from 30 yards to make in 1-1. Riverside then came straight back when they scored their 2nd, pretty much straight from the restart. This was disappointing from Leven’s point of view, as it felt like we switched off after our goal. At half time it was 2-1 to Riverside.
2nd half began with Leven pressing for an equaliser, which eventually came via Ahmed, after a lovely set up from Luca. Both teams were going for the winner and both teams came close to going in front. In the end it was Riverside again, who went in front after they won the ball in Leven’s half and quickly broke down the left. The original cross was cut out but it fell to the Riverside player who tucked it away nicely. 3-2 to Riverside.
Leven again set out for an equaliser and came close on a few occasions, most notably, when Charlie had a free kick tipped on to the bar. Charlie wasn’t to be denied though and late in the game, we got another free kick, which this time was smashed into the top corner, giving the keeper no chance.
As with earlier in the game, Leven seemed to switch off after their goal and Riverside were only denied a winner by a superb save from Sam. In the end, it finished 3-3, which was probably about fair.
We’ve played Riverside Whites (previously Marton Whites) many times and they are always close games and today was no different. It was an entertaining game for which the players on both teams deserve a lot of credit.
The most pleasing thing from Leven’s perspective was there was excellent contributions from every player in the squad. The 80 minute games on bigger pitches means we are going to need everyone to step up and today everyone did. We also showed great character to come back from behind 3 times. Well done to everyone.

Thanks to our brilliant sponsors Nandos

Next game home to Eaglescliffe Elementis - Sunday 21st September.
UTLR!