Leverstock Green made it six points from their opening two games, but if they carry on winning games in this manner, the nerves of their management and supporters will be shredded long before the end of the season. An early penalty turned out to be enough, but as in Saturday's game Green were defending for long periods and came under a furious onslaught towards the end.

Having already had an earlier shout for a penalty turned down when Adam Hallissey looked to have been brought down in the box, the Green were awarded a penalty in the fifth minute. A ball into the box towards Hallissey bounced up off the ground and hit the hand of defender Jack Lawrence. It was a somewhat harsh decision, but skipper Lee Bircham slotted home the spot kick for a 6th minute lead.

Lee Stobbs went close to a second on 13 minutes as Glenn Thompson's pass gave him a run at goal, but his eventual shot was just wide. At the other end Lawrence went close for Hertford, heading just over the bar from Chet Johnson's corner on 15 minutes, and Johnson shot over the bar from a good position a minute later.

Green should have had a second on 20 minutes when keeper Lee Robinson flapped at a corner and the ball dropped for Stobbs, but he put it over the bar from a couple of yards out. Lewis Pritchard had a couple of good chances towards the end of the half, but he was denied by Robinson with the first, and headed over from the second.

Leverstock made a good start to the second half, and went close again on 55 minutes when Thompson put Pritchard through. Robinson got a hand to the ball to knock it from Pritchard's feet, and recovered to palm away a cross from Stobbs on the rebound. Four minutes later Hallissey unleashed a shot from distance that flew just over the bar.

Hertford then started to put serious pressure on the Green goal. On 62 minutes Mark Draper thumped a header against the post from Lee Roberts' free kick. Four minutes later Bircham had to clear off the line in a goalmouth scramble.

Steve Heath brought on fresh legs in Paul Insley and Joel Norris, and the two subs combined on 78 minutes, exchanging crossfield passes before Norris shot wide.

Five minutes from time Green were caught short at the back by a ball over the top. Carl Tasker came out of his goal and collided with Dan Griggs and a Hertford player. The home side protested for a penalty, but the referee awarded only a corner, from which Dave Hunt headed onto the roof of the net.

The pressure continued through a long period of stoppage time, and there was a glaring miss from Roberts, who seemingly had the goal at his mercy from six yards out but shot high and wide. Eventually the final whistle sounded, and the expressions on the faces of the Green side as they came off showed that they knew they had got out of jail. But with key players still to come back, this promising start to the season should continue.