Hat-trick for JJ as Leverstock get off the mark for first league win

It was an all-round excellent performance by the Leverstock side, who were not flattered by the margin of victory, and featured the first hat-trick of the season for last season’s top scorer ‘JJ’ Lacey.

Scott Dash’s squad was boosted during the week by the signing of Roy Byron from Oxhey Jets, and the return of Reynaldo Carbon from Hitchin Town. Carbon was a livewire from the start, delivering a dangerous ball into the Sun box in the opening minute of the game.

It took just over two minutes for Green to score the opener, courtesy of a superb cross from the right by Sam Nair which was met by a header into the net from Ross Adams.

On 27 minutes Nair beat a defender on the right edge of the box before squaring for Lacey, who calmly turned and passed the ball into the gaping empty half of the net to give Leverstock a deserved 2-0 lead.

Sun, managed by former Leverstock boss Tim O’Sullivan, made a triple substitution at half time, and they started the second period strongly, hitting four shots at Green keeper Caolan Doyle-Creamer in the opening five minutes.

A goal at this stage could have changed the match but Leverstock weathered Sun’s early storm and went on to extend their lead.

In the 59th minute Nair claimed his third assist of the game as his threaded pass put Lacey through to slot a composed finish past Evans for his second and Leverstock’s third goal.

Six minutes later, a shot from Lacey was parried by Sun netminder Matt Evans. Carbon was first to the rebound again and this time he found the net to put his side 4-0 up.

Evans prevented a fifth goal in the 69th minute as he saved both a shot from Lacey and a follow-up from Nair, but the fifth goal eventually arrived in the 80th minute as a pass from Chris Marsh put Lacey through again to slot past Evans and complete his hat-trick.

The Green were due to be in action again last night (Tuesday) at Harpenden Town and then face Wembley at home this Saturday.