After winning their opening ten league games, Leverstock Green have hit something of a sticky patch with just one point from the next four games. Saturday's game at Colney Heath saw them slide to a third defeat of the season, and it was a disappointing result from a game they deserved at least a draw from, and had enough chances to win.

Leverstock are still suffering from injuries, but last season's top scorer Louis Austin is now back in the side seven weeks after a knee operation, and started this game as the lone striker. They were facing a Colney Heath side playing for the first time under the newly-appointed management of Gary Phillips, the much-travelled ex-manager of Barnet, Aylesbury United, Grays Athletic and Hemel Hempstead Town.

After a cagey opening to the game, the home side had the first chance on 11 minutes when a long throw dropped for Ian Cooper on the edge of the six-yard box, but he shot over the bar. On 17 minutes Green had a chance when a pass from Dan Griggs put Austin through on goal. As Austin tried to round keeper Billy Barnes he was clearly caught, but Austin stayed on his feet instead of going down for a possible penalty, and went on to shoot over the bar.

In the 27th minute Colney went close again when Jamie Eames hit a free kick from 20 yards which struck the base of the post. Four minutes later Austin was prevented from going clean through again when Steve Barker pulled him down, a challenge for which the Colney skipper was booked.

It was the home side who broke the deadlock in the 34th minute, as Mark Shadbolt didn't get enough on a clearance from the edge of his own box, and the ball ran to Eames, who struck a shot that beat Gareth Tinsley and went in off the post for a 1-0 lead.

The scores should have been levelled two minutes later as two Colney defenders got in each other's way inside their own box, resulting in a handball which was spotted by the referee. However, there was a rare penalty miss from Leverstock skipper Lee Bircham, who hit the post with his spot kick.

The Green did still manage to equalise before the break. In the last minute of the half Craig Preston lofted the ball from his own half towards Austin, who showed his pace as he nodded the ball past a defender and deftly lobbed the ball over Barnes to level the scores at 1-1. Leverstock were unlucky not take a 2-1 lead into the break, as Griggs hit a cracking shot from long range in stoppage time which came down off the bar.

After a strong finish to the first half, Leverstock picked up where they left off in the second half. On 49 minutes a cross from Adam Hallissey went over Austin before Griggs came through the middle to meet it, but couldn't keep his shot under the crossbar. Two minutes later a corner from Bircham found Austin with a header that brought a good save out of Barnes. On 56 minutes Bekim Culaj crossed to the far post, where Griggs came in with a header into the side netting.

There were also periods of pressure from Colney at the other end, and the game could have gone either way at this stage. In the end, the goal that won the game in the 73rd minute was somewhat similar to the winning goal conceded against Harefield a couple of weeks ago, stemming from a poorly-taken free kick in the opposition half. In this instance the free kick was five yards outside the Colney box and dead centre. The idea was for Culaj to pass the ball to the side of the wall for Austin to run round the back, but the ball never got past the wall and was cleared quickly. Green were caught short at the back as Colney broke away, and a cross from the right found substitute Jason Williams all alone in front of goal to shoot home for a 2-1 lead .

Steve Heath made three substitutions in an attempt to save the game, one of them to replace the tiring Austin, but his side never recovered from the goal and didn't come close to finding an equaliser over the closing minutes.

Next up for Leverstock is a home tie against Hatfield Town in the second round of the Challenge Trophy on Tuesday night.