Leverstock Green extended their 100% league start to an amazing ten games as they overcame Stotfold 1-0 in Saturday's game at Pancake Lane. This certainly wasn't the Green's best performance of the season, and they were hanging on at times, but again the team's work rate never faltered as they collected another three points.

Before the game there was the presentation of a cheque for #1332.89 to The Hospice of St Francis, the money raised from the charity match at Pancake Lane on August 14th. Green chairman Kate Binns presented the cheque to Hospice Ambassador John Carlton-Ashton.

Stotfold had the better of the early stages of the match. Theo Swain hit a long-range shot just wide in the 4th minute, and a free kick in a dangerous position just outside the box was put wide by Bobby Dance in the 8th minute. At the other end Ben Butler headed wide from Lee Bircham's cross in the 11th minute, and four minutes later a great cross from Paul Insley just eluded Jon Davies and Bekim Culaj.

Carl Tasker was kept busy, having to tip away a corner from Josh Cook on 17 minutes, and turn a shot from Dance round the post seconds later. However, it was Leverstock who went closest to scoring in the 28th minute with a 20-yard shot from Davies striking the base of the post.

It looked like being a goalless half until the Green won a corner in the final minute. Bircham floated the ball to the far post, and Louis West got up to thump home a header to sent Leverstock into the break with a 1-0 lead.

As the second half progressed, Stotfold posed an increasing threat. On 62 minutes two crosses into the box were cleared before the ball fell to Glen Lamacraft on the edge of the box, but he miscued his shot over the bar. Two minutes later a goalbound shot from Andy Carter was deflected over the bar by one of his own players.

Tom Peverall shot just wide from the edge of the box in the 66th minute, and three minutes later Gareth Cottenden got on the end of a free kick from Lee Harman with a header that Tasker had to turn round the post.

Towards the end of the game it looked like Leverstock had weathered the storm, and they might have increased their lead on 81 minutes but Craig Preston headed into the side netting from a Bircham corner. However, there was controversy in stoppage time. As Preston went to clear a ball into the box, the ball deflected off his boot and struck his hand. The referee must have considered it ball-to-hand, as he waved play on, but not so the Stotfold side, who protested furiously.

When the final whistle went a few seconds later, the Stotfold management came onto the pitch to remonstrate with the referee, which made for an unsavoury end to the game. But there was no taking anything away from the Leverstock side, who now own the only 100% record in the division after Royston's defeat at Dunstable, and lead the table by nine points.

Next up for the Green is a visit to Harefield United on Tuesday night.