After two fine performances in midweek, it looked as though their hectic schedule caught up with the Leverstock Green side today. There didn't seem to be much left in the tank as the side fell to a tame 3-1 home defeat against an Oxhey Jets side that has found wins hard to come by since the turn of the year. Fortunately, they now have a ten-day break before their next game.

Injuries and unavailability meant that Mick Vipond was short on players to select from. There was a first team debut for goalkeeper Matt Evans, a veteran of over 60 games for the reserve and youth sides but still only 18 years old. The early signs were promising, as Green had a few chances. In the 4th minute Charlie Gorman curled in a free kick which keeper Steve Duce tipped over the bar. On 14 minutes Mark Welling's long-range shot was turned round the post by Duce. From the resulting corner James Brophy headed just over the bar from Gary Connolly's cross.

However, it was the visitors who took the lead from their first attack of note in the 19th minute. Ian Bywater got past two Green defenders before squaring across the edge of the penalty area for Wayne Gladdy, who got his customary goal against Leverstock with a fine low shot into the corner of the net.

Still there were more chances for Green. On 23 minutes Lee Waryszniuk's cross from distance was tipped over by Duce, and from the resulting corner Waryszniuk headed straight at Duce. Shortly after James Armstrong was through on goal but shot wide. The missed chances proved costly as Oxhey went further in front with a messy goal on 34 minutes. After the ball had been bouncing around the Green box, Evans came out to collect, but Tim O'Mara got there first and nodded sideways to Karl Bull, who shot into the empty net to score against his former side.

David Parkinson could have pulled a goal back in the last minute of the half as he burst through on goal, but when the shot would have been the better option, he chose to pass to Armstrong and it didn't get there.

Leverstock had more chances early in the second half, the best of them falling to Parkinson on 55 minutes, but he shot just over the bar from Armstrong's lay-off. After that, the game seemed to somewhat fizzle out. Evans pulled off a great save on 76 minutes to tip Chris Ingham's shot over the bar, however two minutes later he could only push away a cross from Bull into the path of O'Mara, who had a simple tap-in to put Oxhey 3-0 up.

Green looked out of it, but a fortuitous goal on 83 minutes gave them a glimmer of hope. A dummy from Bekim Culaj left Gorman with a clear shot on goal, which as on Thursday night he didn't catch right, but Duce somehow managed to dive over the ball to give Gorman his second daisy-cutter goal of the week.

In the closing minutes Brophy headed just wide from an Armstrong free kick, and Armstrong himself was denied when Duce came out to save with his legs, but there was to be no great comeback as Oxhey held on comfortably for their win. The two sides will meet again at Pancake Lane on April 16th in the semi-final of the St Mary's Cup.