Leverstock Green made a great effort against second-placed Ampthill Town, but it wasn't quite enough as the visitors took all three points with a goal late in the game. The two sides looked much more evenly-matched than their current league positions suggest.

Despite playing for the second time in three days the Leverstock side looked full of energy, and they continued their strong defensive showing from the second half against Berkhamsted as they withstood an early barrage of crosses from the Ampthill side.

The first clear-cut chance of the game fell to the Green on 21 minutes as Gareth Long's pass put Liam Hind through on goal, but Hind didn't catch his shot cleanly as it went high and wide of the target. Lee Gardner shot wide from the edge of the box on 29 minutes, and two minutes later a shot from Damion Cruickshank took a deflection from Long which sent it looping towards the top corner, but Ampthill keeper Martin Conway kept it out.

Kieron Jimmy had to make a good save on 42 minutes to parry away a low shot from Tyrone Taylor. Christian Lester came in for the rebound but the angle was too narrow for him to get it on target.

The second half continued with both sides giving it everything. On 52 minutes Leverstock won a free kick inches outside the box for a foul on Long. Hind drove the free kick low across the box where Long made contact but sent it wide of the goal.

Ampthill had another great chance two minutes later when Warren Garcia won the ball on the right touchline and crossed to find Danny Watson in front of goal, but Jimmy pulled off a superb save to turn it wide. Ampthill substitute Chris Crook went even closer on 70 minutes as he got a glancing header to a free kick which came back off the post.

Green substitute Callum Wright had their best effort of the night on 75 minutes, a dipping shot from 30 yards which Conway did well to tip over the bar. However, two minutes later Ampthill finally made the breakthrough when Conway launched the ball downfield and Tyrone Taylor just got in behind the defence to lob the ball over Jimmy for a 1-0 lead.

Jimmy pulled off another excellent save to deny Watson on 83 minutes, while at the other end three minutes from time Mark Shadbolt won the ball on the edge of the Ampthill box, but his shot was hit straight at Conway. Phill Draycot looked to have added a second goal for Ampthill a minute later, but a superb goalline clearance from Gavin Smith kept it out.

The two midweek performances against sides in the top four have shown how far Leverstock have come under Dene Gardner, and they have three more league games to try to get the last couple of points they need to mathematically ensure safety, the first of them away to Holmer Green on Saturday.