Leverstock Green's poor record in the FA Cup continued this season as they once again exited at the first hurdle. The Green had the better chances, but Biggleswade United had good finishing and good goalkeeping to thank as they came out on top 2-1 in this Extra Preliminary Round tie.

Steve Heath made some changes to his side that had won their first two league games, with Steve Hatch coming in for his first game of the season and Max Farrelly making his competitive debut having joined in the summer from Hatfield Town.

Leverstock could have been ahead within 30 seconds of the kick-off. A great ball from Farrelly found Lee Stobbs, who squared into the path of Lewis Pritchard. The Green striker hit a great shot, but keeper Adam Lawrence got a hand on it to tip it over the bar. Instead it was the home side who went in front in the 13th minute. The Green defence had three chances to clear the ball, but each time it came back into the box, and finally Ben Stocker drilled a low shot under Carl Tasker for the opening goal.

There was another chance for Pritchard on 21 minutes when Joel Norris won the ball in midfield and played a through ball, but Pritchard's eventual shot was across goal and just wide. On 36 minutes a pass from Glenn Thompson gave Bekim Culaj a run at goal, but likewise his effort went across the face of goal and wide of the post.

Green went into the break trailing 1-0, but again they had a near-miss almost straight from the restart. A volley from Thompson was acrobatically tipped over the bar by Lawrence inside 30 seconds of the second half.

Another chance came and went on 55 minutes as Farrelly made a great run and crossed for Norris, but his glancing header was wide of the post. Within seconds Biggleswade were on the attack, and the ball was laid back to Sean Murray, who hit a superb shot from the edge of the box into the corner of the net to put his side into a commanding 2-0 lead.

Steve Heath responded with a triple substitution, and one of the subs, Paul Insley, almost made an immediate impact. Insley won the ball on the halfway line and put Pritchard through, but Lawrence got a hand on his shot to deflect it round the post.

Finally on 72 minutes Leverstock got back into the game. A corner from Lee Stobbs was knocked down by Craig Preston, and Farrelly bundled the loose ball over the line to pull a goal back.

The Green threw everything at the Biggleswade goal over the closing minutes. Pritchard got on the end of a long throw with a glancing back header which brought another acrobatic tip-over from Lawrence. In the last minute Insley was put clean through, but again Lawrence got a hand on the ball to parry it away. Pritchard went for the rebound but a defender cleared it off his toe.

In the end it was not to be, and it is Biggleswade United who will travel to Tilbury in the Preliminary Round in two weeks time. Leverstock now turn their attention back to the league, with a Tuesday night visit to Haringey Borough.