Leverstock Green brought their run of poor league form to an end with an excellent 3-2 win over third-placed Aylesbury United in this top-of-the-table clash at Pancake Lane. It was a hard-fought win over a side that had the Green under the cosh for the opening 20 minutes, with three quality finishes proving the difference between the sides.

Steve Heath was still missing four key players through injury, but had the bonus of another appearance from ex-Premiership star Kevin Gallen, playing up front alongside Louis West who was continuing his makeshift striker role from the last two games.

The visitors hit the ground running in this game and were ahead as early as the fourth minute. The goal was created by Stacey Field, who made a driving run down the left touchline, outpacing Dan Boyle before sending over a cross which went behind the Green defenders and found Ben Baines all alone six yards out to control the ball and shoot past Gareth Tinsley.

It was almost 2-0 in the 10th minute when Aylesbury won a free kick just outside the box, but Tinsley got a hand to Danny Jones' superb strike to tip it onto the crossbar. There was another near miss five minutes later when Tinsley flapped at a corner but former Green player Luke Flood headed wide from a great chance.

Leverstock had hardly had a look-in between the waves of Aylesbury attacks, but against the run of play they levelled the scores in the 20th minute. Mark Shadbolt chipped a pass forward towards West, who found himself in behind the Ducks defence and ran clear to produce another superb finish, coolly lobbing the ball over keeper Jack Sillitoe to equalise from his side's first real attack.

Green were back in the game now, and went close again on 26 minutes when Steve Hatch headed wide from Lee Bircham's corner. Four minutes later a simple pass from Ben Butler put West clean through again, but this time the finish was not there as West pulled his shot wide of Sillitoe but also wide of the post.

The visitors were continuing to create chances. On 33 minutes a low ball into the box found Field coming in at the far post but he shot over the bar from close range. Two minutes later Baines caught Hatch in possession and set off towards goal, only to shoot wide.

With these and a number of headed chances that were squandered, Aylesbury will feel that they should have taken a lead into the break; instead they found themselves behind to a stoppage time goal. It was created by more impressive play from West, who breezed past defender Justin Gordon in a flying run down the right touchline before squaring into the box for Gallen, who turned the ball home from the edge of the six-yard box for his first Green goal and a 2-1 half time lead.

The second half continued in the same breathless fashion. In the second minute Gallen clipped in an enticing cross which found Hatch coming in round the back of the defence, but he ballooned his volley over the bar. Four minutes later the Ducks were back on level terms. Lewis Halford's corner managed to elude everyone before dropping for Warren Garcia at the far post, and he wasted no time in blasting the ball home for 2-2.

The action switched back to the other end, with Sillitoe having to come out and punch away another quality cross from Gallen intended for West, and then having to scramble back and tip over a cross from Shadbolt which was drifting towards the top corner of the net.

From the resulting corner Bircham played the ball to Gallen, who held it up before laying back to Bircham, who then clipped in a superb cross which was met by Ricco Biggi coming in with a thumping header to score his first goal for the club and put the Green back in front at 3-2 in the 56th minute.

The chances rather dried up for both sides after that, but Leverstock defended well and looked dangerous on the attack with Gallen showing his class in possession and distribution. Performance of the day though was from West, who got a well-deserved rest fifteen minutes from time when he was replaced by Lewis Pritchard.

Leverstock face another of the title contenders next Saturday when Dunstable Town are the visitors to Pancake Lane, with Steve Heath likely to have some of his injured players back and available for selection.