Leverstock Green’s great run of form continued as they produced an astonishing result against a side that had reached the third round qualifying of the FA Cup on a giant-killing run earlier in the season. It was a superb performance by Scott Dash’s side as they smashed eight goals past Hadley to extend their winning run to five games in all competitions.

The opening minutes of the game were fairly even, but it was Leverstock that opened the scoring in the 12th minute after a great move that flowed from one side of the pitch to the other via Casey Linsell, Curtis Donaldson and Jonathan Lacey. Lacey’s pass released Karl Davidson, whose cross to the far post went over three defenders to find Lewis Bowers, who volleyed home emphatically from the angle of the six-yard box.

The same two players combined for the second Leverstock goal on 33 minutes as Davidson’s pass put Bowers through on goal to confidently strike a shot past Hadley keeper Charlie Mann into the corner of the net.

Hadley came out attacking at the start of the second half, but within two minutes of the restart they had been hit by another Leverstock goal. Donaldson floated a superb pass from his own half to find Lacey in the penalty area, and Lacey juggled the ball over a defender before shooting home an impressive third goal. That goal proved to be the opening of the floodgates. On 54 minutes Davidson robbed Hadley defender Harry Sedgley just outside his own penalty area and crossed for Lacey to slot home his second and Leverstock’s fourth goal of the afternoon.

There was a brief glimmer of hope for the visitors in the 55th minute as Ben Darby conceded a free kick just outside his own box, and Tyrone Mulholland’s low free kick went under the Leverstock wall and into the corner of the net to reduce the arrears to 4-1.

However, within a minute it was 5-1 as Karl Thomas hit a shot from 20 yards which Mann got both hands to but couldn’t keep out. Two minutes later a cross from Bowers found Donaldson on the edge of the six-yard box to head home a simple sixth goal for the Green.

There was still more to come as Davidson added to his three assists with two goals of his own. On 68 minutes a cross from Linsell was headed away, but only to the edge of the penalty area where Davidson met it with a rasping shot into the net. Three minutes from time a pass from Donaldson put Davidson through to shoot home his second and Leverstock’s eighth goal against a dispirited Hadley side.

It was a memorable afternoon for the Leverstock followers, and it is clear to see the confidence currently flowing through the side as the goals have started to fly in – the five straight wins in all competitions have produced 24 goals with only 6 conceded. Next Saturday sees a visit to Hoddesdon Town for a league match.

Leverstock Green played their first game under interim manager Scott Dash following the midweek departure of Paul Hunt, but they failed to stop their losing run as they went down 3-1 at home to a Sun Sports side managed by former Leverstock manager Tim O’Sullivan and containing several former Green players. It was an evenly-contested game throughout, but two second-half goals from former Leverstock striker Chris Blunden turned the game in Sun’s favour.

The first half saw plenty of effort from both sides, but not a lot of chances created. In the 15th minute Curtis Donaldson hit a shot just wide of the post after his first effort had been blocked, and Dominic David came closest to scoring for Sun in the 41st minute with a shot from the edge of the box that was turned wide by Liam Jahn.

Sun keeper Matt Evans had to produce his first important save in the 57th minute when Karl Davidson got on the end of a Jonathan Lacey corner with a good shot. Another corner produced a near-miss as Kendall Allen came in at the near post but couldn’t get his header on target.

The deadlock was broken on the hour, as a cross from the left found Blunden in the box, and he took on a couple of defenders before finding the space to hit a shot that went in off the post. The second goal came on 72 minutes as a corner was not cleared, and Blunden turned on the edge of the six-yard box before shooting low into the corner of the net.

There was hope of a Leverstock comeback when they pulled a goal back with seven minutes remaining. Donaldson’s pass put Brima Johnson through to slot the ball past Evans and reduce the deficit to 2-1.

However, the outcome was sealed a minute from time when Leverstock were caught on the break from their own corner. Another old boy Tommy Walsh brought the ball out of defence and played it forward to Blunden, who took on a defender before squaring to find David in acres of space to shoot home the third Sun goal.

A few key players were missing from today’s line-up, but it is hoped that Scott Dash will have the full squad to select from for next Saturday’s home match against one of the expected title contenders, Welwyn Garden City.