On a cold Saturday afternoon Men’s 2nd faced the table toppers Wisbech 2nd. With most of the Mo’s gone and Ron in America; Colin stepped up; but wait why does he still have the Mo and the beard? The team arrived an hour early to get acclimatised to the arctic weather! Ah the beard makes sense now! We were strong in our heads and decided not to show any respect to Wisbech.

Wisbech started as the crowd expected and they kept moving the ball around better than South. We were chasing shadows for the first 5 minutes and took us time to adjust to the organised outfit of Wisbech.

The first goal was scored when a “long aerial ball by Bhav that travelled 5 meters” went straight to the Wisbech stick. They moved fast into the D and got a PC. Wisbech were ruthless. A pass to the left post and a deflection in the goal. 0-1!

Although Wisbech took the lead; the three Musketeers “Lucas, Tom H and Nick”; were running around the Wisbech defence. A lot of the attacks were stopped by Dave, Jack, Ed & James in the mid field.

Wisbech’s 2nd goal wasn’t bad either. They ran with the ball in the centre, passed it to the attacker in the D. A little space given in D and the striker hit the ball over diving Shahbaz.

We did get couple of PCs but Wisbech defence was strong. Rest of the half was played where the defence of Tom A, Oli, Colin & Bhav tried to not let the score line become bad looking. The half time whistle went and the score was a respectable 0-2.

Colin gathered troops and his great lecture was recorded on each iPhone on the pitch and the players have decided to play it to their grandchildren. With a few changes to the midfield and renewed courage the seconds were attacking Wisbech from the whistle.

After 10 minutes, in one of the moves Lucas got the ball on the top of the D, a good dribble into the D and PC! A cunning southern hemisphere lad he is! A perfect insertion from Ed, perfect stop by Jack, a perfect hit by Tom H and a perfect “McCulloch” by Ed led to one of the goals which brought tears to the writer’s eyes! 1-2 and 10minutes gone in the 2nd half!!

Dave with his “lightning fast runs”, James with his “ball on the foot of the Wisbech defender and then I go into the D” moves, Nick with his “3D skills” and Lucas with his “reverse hits”; were bisecting the Wis defence like knife through butter!

In one of the fantastic moves Tom H passed the ball into the D and a free Ed did what he has been doing all season. Scoring every time he is in front of the goal. 2nd goal for Ed and it was game on!!

Wisbech were woken up from their cold afternoon siesta. 15 minutes to go. Could M2 hold them to 2-2? Such was the tension that the crowd were chewing the nails on their fingers and toes, never mind the fingers and ties were already frost bitten!

Wisbech attacks were being held with Ed, Jack and Tom in the mid field and where they missed the ball the back four were defending well, and when the back four failed they ran into “the great wall of Cambourne - Shahbaz”.

But fortune favours the brave and in one such “fortunate for Wisbech moment” a strong cracked ball from the right hit the South player’s foot in the D and when everyone were waiting for the umpire to give a PC; the ball went straight to the Wisbech attacker who was free to slot in the goal. Very unfortunate for South! Good advantage given there umpire! 2-3! 10 minutes to go…

In another Wisbech attack it was Shahbaz Vs the Wisbech attacker and “the wall” stood tall again.

Wisbech attacks were coming thick and fast now. Another attacker was then given the slightest of chance in the D and he cracked in their 4th goal.

The last 5 minutes were spent fighting out the Wisbech attacks and we counter attacked on the first given chance.

The final whistle went and South did themselves proud by putting up a good fight against the table toppers. South travel to Rutland next Saturday.