Following Oren's sudden extraction, VC Anns was given the reigns for what looked like a grim prospect. Spalding is a fair old distance to travel, particularly to a team that won 7-0 to a team the 2s could only muster a 0-0 draw against. The first 15 minutes, south's hockey was bright and sharp, and they were unlucky not to take the lead when Troll's shot was cleared from the line. Gradually Spalding seemed to warm up, playing good pass and move hockey, leading to 2 goals, both from shorts. the first was a neatly played mutliple pass for an easy finish, with the second a straightforward strike to the bottom left corner, where Monck failed to keep it out.

Perhaps because the 2s expected to be totally dominated, 2-0 felt very much like we were still in it, and several good opportunities in the first half gave confidence for the second. And South struck first after the break, with a move planned in the car on the way up. Monck creamed the ball into the D, for Barton to deflect home, 2-1. Spalding were often quick on the break, and although the defensive unit made life hard for them, eventually they were overwhelmed by sheer numbers of attackers, and Spalding restored their 2 goal advantage. But the cushioned was soon halved, as South won a short, which Monck duly dispatched to the bottom right corner. 3-2 and game on.

Spalding's 4th goal was not one of the defensive unit's finest moments. Ali played a short pass to Passmore, who's mind seemed to be elsewhere. With a centre forward pressuring, he could only push the ball towards the back line. Monck, carefully watching the ball go out, allowed another attacker to take the ball off the line, bring it front of goal and finish adeptly. Spalding and their significant crowd, delighted by the debacle giving them back a two goal lead.

But despite this, South seemed the more dangerous, both in trying to score goals and in hacking down the opposition. Espley was duly yellow carded for an axe like hack, following on from several poor quality tackles that could easily have ended up with the same consequence. With a man down, South conceded another short, which headed towards the bottom left corner, similar to their second goal. But this time, Monck, bravely, didn't have anough time to move his leg out the way, and did a poor job of hiding the limp from the shot. Penalty flick for 5-2 and curtains on the game. Up stepped the mighty Ali, and redeemed himself for his earlier mistake, and saved a pretty poor qaulity flick. But a saved flick is a saved flick - credit to the keeper.

With Espley back on, south then created the move of the match, driving down the left, creating space for Barton to go one on one with the keeper. Rounding him to the left, Barton finished off with his first reverse stick goal of the season, and gave South hope of securing a point. Press as they might, a fourth goal didn't come. But despite losing, there was a deep sense of satisfaction throughout the team. It had been a team performance reminicent of the quality that had one them promotion and 11 straight wins against a quality opposition.

Tired, satisfied from a good allbeit losing hockey match, and smelly from the Spalding failure to provide showers, teas were held in a luxury pub with generous sofas, where Monck was awarded Man of the match as part of an excellent defensive unit, and Anns picked up the coveted Lemon for being captain for the day.