M4s fielded an experimental line up this weekend with Ian and Simon drafted in to shore up a defence bereft of several regulars as a bare 11 was sent north to Peterborough to take on the young whippersnappers of COP 8s who have been leading the pack chasing City's M5s in Div 6NWS this season. Any nerves felt were soon settled as the first few attacks from COPs were swiftly dealt with and turned into counter-attacks of our own. One such occasion saw Simon intercept a wayward pass from the COPs winger and promptly fired the ball out to Jacob on the right. The ball was then worked around the COP backline and back across the pitch towards the left for Boris to fire home the opening goal.

It looked increasingly likely that it would be South that added to the scoresheet first as the defence manned the barricades to thwart attack after attack and tee up the midfield to carve out chances galore for the front pair. However, while trying to clear their lines right on the goaline, a flick was awarded to COP and gratefully dispatched. Still coming to terms with that set back, the backline gave away a sloppy ball under pressure and in trying to recover were twisted inside out by the COP forward line before a shot squirted through Shahzads kickers to give COP the lead, somewhat against the run of play.

South cleared their heads however and carved out several more opportunities to restore parity. None were taken and half time came with South back on top although trailing 1-2. More of the same was the demand from the skipper and that was what we got as the second half got underway. Ian pushed slightly further forward to help shield the defence and suport the midfield as they tried to cope with the pace of the young lads pouring forward, but what eluded David B and Rasmus down the flanks as they calmly mopped up attacks left and right, Simon was collecting and sweeping away with authority through the centre.

More chances were created and spurned by South as a series of short corners were repelled or came to nought and the game began to stretch as a result. In the end they were to prove costly as the wily fox playing in midfield for COP began to take control and started launching attacks for the younger squadmates to chase into the corners and put pressure on the tiring South defence. The third goal came from a cheap short corner conceded by tired feet. Taking advantage of loading the D to their numerical advantage, the injector played quick short balls out that were then pinged around to draw the South defenders out and work the angles to create space for the shot that was duly dispatched.

From that point, South's prolifigacy took on Liverpudlian proportions as chance after chance went begging while COPs became more and more clinical and started forcing several more short corners and attacks.

South's resistance remained strong until the last minutes of the game when once more, COPs forward line overloaded the tiring defence and took two more goals; one from open play flashed across Shahzad and high into the net, before the final game came again from a well worked short corner that dragged the South defence around to work the space for the shot to be taken. South never gave up though and right up to the dying seconds of the game were still getting shots away but just not on target or enough to test the COP keeper.

All in all and despite the scoreline, another decent performance in adversity with leaders appearing all over the pitch to keep the team organised and motivated. Boris was excellent in this regard keeping the team organised from the front and the midfield were finding and creating space to provide support despite having to attempt to keep the COP No 15 quiet as well. The defence were so well organised that you'd hardly have known that you had two players out of position as many attacks were snuffed out quickly by David B and Rasmus (who was second in the MoM votes for another solid display at right back) and Ian and Simon were combining well in the centre to break up attacks. Having said that though, the skipper for one will be glad to welcome the regulars back next week so he can retreat to the opposite end of the pitch where he belongs!