Not what we had hoped for. What else to say about this match?

Well, there were problems in the build-up. No regular goalies being available. Numbers down, resulting in some people playing despite niggling injuries they might have preferred to rest. Final Xi not exactly being balanced in terms of preferred positions (defenders were particularly thin on the ground). The alignment of the stars, maybe? But those are excuses, and they don’t really wash. Everyone we had on show would be selected for the 3rd team when available; none of the people playing should find Div 5 a struggle. Simply we were collectively below the standard that we can reach, facing a Bourne Deeping side who were easily good enough to exploit the situation. The better team on the day won, and comfortably so.

Enough moaning, I hear you cry, what about the action? Well, the hosts took the lead fairly early on, exploiting some hesitant defending inside our circle to cross for an unmarked player to finish easily. We drew level when Jan intercepted a pass and fed Rupert. He played a ball into the circle which the ‘keeper looked favourite for; however, Rob doesn’t give up on things like that, and he managed to get a jab on it just prior to the clearance kick. There was no need for an additional touch, the jab trundling gently into the net. Bourne Deeping went back ahead when one of our 16s was cut-out, producing an overload and an unchallenged shot of the sort that Neil had told us pre-game we couldn't allow to happen. Unsurprisingly, it went in.

Our brightest period was early in the second-half, as we actually managed to string together some passing, including our best move of the match. The ball was transferred quickly between four players, moving the play upfield and from one side of the pitch to the other so giving space for Andrew to drive in a cross; a defender attempted to block it, but it sliced off the end of his stick and hit the post. So close to an own-goal.

Then came the defining period of the match. First, Bourne Deeping exploited a maladroit piece of defending to earn themselves a short. They slipped it away from the runners, towards the post guarded by a defender who happened to be one of those out-of-position guys; consequently no pressure was applied to the forward, who had all the time in the world to wind up and give Neil no chance. We should still have felt competitive at 3-1 down, even if coming back to win was now unlikely. However, the way heads went down suggested that belief was absent. The result was a fourth Bourne Deeping goal straight from pushback, neatly flicked into the corner on the reverse stick, and a fifth a handful of minutes later as a player was able to dribble into the circle and crack a shot into the corner. The contest had been decided in a spell lasting less than five minutes.

It could have become (even more of) a rout at this point, but at least we manage to get ourselves back onto some sort of even keel. A goal was pulled back when Olly picked Jelley out on the 25, and he nutmegged a player to find Rob in the circle. Rob pulled onto his reverse and finished the chance (which kind of goes without saying). Bodies were being pushed forward in desperation at this point, which resulted in more threat to our goal than it did to the home ‘keeper. Neil pulled off a number of saves, including one from a high ball that any of our regular ‘keepers would have been proud of. But he could do nothing about the chance in the final minute that made it 6-2, as a ball was first directed against his post and then the forward reacted quicker than the defenders to the rebound, flicking it home.

Our worst defeat for two years, and possibly the sign of a worrying trend, as we once again came unstuck in a match outside Cambridge. We were missing players and felt the lack. This is something we must rectify in our next away game. Which is (checks fixture list) at Louth. Oh. The longest trip of the season, and they are also the new leaders of the Division. Well, it’s a challenge to be met. First things first, though, we really need to get back to winning ways soon, hopefully starting next saturday when we host Wisbech 4ths. But lets not be too negative. Our good start means that we are still 4th in the Division and only three points from top spot despite the recent wobble. Onwards and upwards?