Leverstock Green ended up on the wrong end of another heavy defeat, but this was a very harsh result on Dene Gardner's side, who had played very well in the first half, but were hit by some unfortunate goals in the second half. The game hinged on two contentious penalty decisions, one not given and one given.

The home side made the stronger start and could have gone in front in the 11th minute when Mark Summers shot over the bar from close range. Leverstock created their first chance in the 15th minute, a cross from Liam O'Keefe which found Tommy Walsh inside the box, but Walsh couldn't get hold of his effort properly. Three minutes later Elias Moses made a good run forward and hit a fierce shot which was well saved by home keeper Lee Robinson.

The first of the contentious penalty decisions came in the 25th minute when Billy Smith made a run into the box and a defender made contact with a sliding tackle. Smith tried to stay on his feet but then stumbled. The referee had the whistle in his mouth, but then decided not to award the penalty, nor did he book Smith for diving.

Leverstock went close again in the 32nd minute when the ball was given away to Dene Gardner, who hit a shot which Robinson could only parry, fortunately for him the rebound went away from Smith, who was coming in to follow up. St Margaretsbury then broke away quickly, and Lee Roberts was bearing down on goal, but Kieran Jimmy turned his shot around the post.

Two minutes before the break Leverstock put together an excellent move with some slick passing around the box, but Smith couldn't quite get a decisive contact on Walsh's eventual cross. Half time was reached with the game goalless, and with the two teams looking well-matched, an intriguing second half looked in prospect.

However, three minutes in the second half came the second penalty decision. The ball was pulled back to Mark Summers just inside the box, and his fierce shot struck the hand of Green defender Danny Arnett a couple of yards away. Arnett's arms were by his side, and he didn't move his hand towards the ball but the referee awarded the penalty and booked Arnett. Joss Lillis scored the penalty to put the home side into a 1-0 lead.

The fragile confidence of the Leverstock side was further shaken by two quick goals midway through the half. On 67 minutes a pass from Connor Scully found Brett O'Connor inside the box, and O'Connor benefitted from a defender missing a tackle before slotting the ball past Jimmy for a 2-0 lead within two minutes of coming off the bench. Seconds after the restart Leverstock gave the ball away again, and a single ball down the middle put Summers through to lob Jimmy for the killer third goal.

Further salt was rubbed into the wound by two goals from another substitute. On 82 minutes a cross from the left struck the Leverstock bar and the ball dropped just nicely for Kevin Ashwood to stick out a boot and divert it into the net, and in stoppage time Ashwood turned home a cross while the Green defence were waiting for an offside flag that didn't come.

The result was somewhat flattering for the home side, but the Leverstock side must pick themselves up quickly to prepare for the visit of league leaders Kings Langley in next Saturday's festive local derby.