Colney Heath's new management team will have seen the last seven days as a small step forward - even though it ended in two defeats.

Saturday's loss was a heavy 6-1 reverse away to one of the Southern League Division One Central pace-setters, North Leigh.

Carlos Simao got his first goal for the club but ex-St Albans City forward Jefferson Louis was the star for the Oxfordshire side with a hat-trick.

However, there was a much better performance away to Waltham Abbey on Tuesday night and only two goals in the final 16 minutes prevented the Magpies from picking up a valuable point in their push to avoid relegation.

Dion Laughton had equalised for them 10 minutes into the second half.

Next up is a home game with AFC Dunstable on Saturday and manager Ant Burns will be wanting to see more progression.

Speaking last week he said: "We’ve said the performances are the main thing, we can put the results aside because if the performances become better then the results will come.

"That’s what we have to focus on.

"There are still 22 more games to go and there are so many points to play for."

Elsewhere Harpenden Town maintained their position as one of the top teams in the Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division with a 1-0 win away to MK Irish.

Jake Anthony got the only goal in the second half to keep them third in the table, seven points behind the leaders Risborough Rangers, but only six behind Leighton Town in the final possible promotion place, and with four games in hand.

They travel to Ardley United on Saturday before a home game against Stevenage in the Herts Senior Cup on Wednesday.

London Colney have two league games in the next seven days as they look to stop a run of defeats.

They go to Arlesey Town on Saturday before heading to Leighton on Tuesday.

Their last games saw a disappointing 5-2 defeat at home to Dunstable Town in the league, and although manager Jack Metcalfe got something of a response against Harefield United in the League Challenge Trophy, they still fell to a 2-1 defeat at Harefield United.