Leverstock Green were beaten 4-2 by one of the Premier Division's in-form sides, but most of the damage was done in a five-minute second half spell which saw two goals and a red card. Up until that point the Green side had been competing on level terms with St Margaretsbury and giving a good account of themselves.

There was little to choose between the sides early on, with Leverstock having the game's first effort on goal in the 10th minute when James Dabbs shot over the bar. St Margaretsbury had a great chance to take the lead in the 19th minute when Ricky Light's free kick was punched away by David Bailey, but only as far as Steve Barker, whose cross found Davey Edmee with the goal at his mercy only to head over the bar.

After a period when the home side looked to be getting on top, it was the Green who went in front with a swift and incisive counter-attack. Marvin Tabi's pass found James Dabbs, who in turn fed Tobi Akin, and Akin spun past a defender to run through and slot past keeper Matt Deamer for his 13th goal of the season.

However, the lead only lasted four minutes. A long-distance cross from Lee Roberts was met by Michael Cooper coming in at the far post unmarked to head home the equaliser. Leverstock were unlucky a minute before the break when Akin beat a defender on the goal line and struck a shot from a narrow angle which hit the post.

The game went into half time with the scores level at 1-1, but things turned against Leverstock in a nightmare five minute period. Firstly on 54 minutes Roberts got on the end of a cross from Leigh Rose with an outrageous overhead kick which looped up over Bailey and dropped into the net to put the home side 2-1 up. Three minutes later the Green were reduced to ten men when the referee showed a straight red card to Dean Kemp for a two-footed tackle. Then the resulting free kick was headed home by Barker for a 3-1 St Margaretsbury lead.

To their credit the ten-man Leverstock side continued to battle on and played some good football over the remainder of the game. They were close to pulling a goal back on 73 minutes when Tobi Akin robbed the hesitant Edmee inside the box and hit a shot which Deamer did well to turn round the post. Four minutes later they did pull a goal back when Curt Dizon ran onto a pass from Dabbs and outpaced the defence before finishing well past Deamer.

However, the home side always looked capable of adding to their tally, and after Bailey had made a few good saves, the game was finally put beyond reach five minutes from time. A looping header from Edmee hit the bar and dropped at the feet of Anthony Anstead, who blasted home a shot from close range to close out a 4-2 win for his side.

Leverstock will not have to wait long for a chance at revenge - they visit the Recreation Ground again on Tuesday night for a Herts Senior Cup second round tie.