Leverstock Green couldn't continue their winning start to their league season as they fell to a home defeat to Hatfield Town in Saturday's match at Pancake Lane.

Hatfield came into the match on the back of a 6-1 defeat in their opening game, but they looked the better side here for most of the game. After a couple of early efforts went wide they had a good chance to take the lead in the 13th minute. A ball over the top put Daryl Smith through on goal. Green keeper Tom Coulton came out to challenge but the ball rebounded to Jay Rolfe, whose shot was cleared off the line by Marvin Tabi.

Leverstock were slow to get going in this game, too often giving the ball away in their own half, but they had their first serious attack in the 18th minute. Ross Miller played the ball down the line to Tabi, who reached the bye-line but his cross was gathered by Hatfield keeper Dean Sonner.

However, within a minute they were a goal down. Sam Bantick ran through the middle of the Green defence too easily and laid off to Smith, whose shot beat Coulton and went in off the post.

Adam Hallissey hit a shot just wide in the 24th minute and Kriss Tyrell hit the post with a shot two minutes later as Leverstock fought back, but Hatfield still had the better chances. Chris Webb put Sean Sawyer in with a great chance on 35 minutes but he shot wide.

Leverstock were still in the game and got back on level terms in the 38th minute. Tobi Akin chased down a defender to win a corner, and Lewis Rolfe's cross was not cleared by the Hatfield defence. Tabi and Miller kept the ball alive until Hallissey stabbed it home from close range for his third goal in successive games.

Hallissey might have put the Green in front in the last minute of the half as he beat a defender and ran into the box, but his shot was saved by Sonner.

A half-time change saw Curt Dizon replace Alfee Robbins, but again it was Hatfield who started the better in the second half. Matt Hodges turned and shot just over the bar in the 48th minute. Ben Gill had a good long-range effort for Leverstock five minutes later which was saved, but it was Hatfield who scored the next goal in the 62nd minute. An outswinging corner found Taylor Sussex, who got up near the edge of the penalty area to head powerfully home into the corner of the net.

Leverstock continued to battle, but their passing let them down too often today. Akin had a good chance to equalise eight minutes from time when he burst through the middle, but he shot over the bar. There was another chance in the last minute of the game when Dizon was brought down just outside the box. Jon Davies stepped up to take the free kick, hoping to repeat his effort from Tuesday night, but his shot clipped the top of the bar as it went over.

A disappointing result after the impressive win at Colney Heath, but Steve Benitez is still building his squad from scratch after the loss of most of last season's side and results are likely to be unpredictable until a settled side is in place. The games don't get any easier, with a visit to Haringey Borough on Tuesday night being followed next Saturday by an away game at Hanwell Town, who scored four against Tring Athletic today.