The 4s found themselves at the turn around point of the season propping up Div 6NWS after a slower than usual start to the season, but as a team in form having gone 3 games unbeaten prior to the trip to take on St Neots youthful 4th team. A sizeable squad early in the preceding week was slowly whittled down to a bare 11 on matchday, with some notable absences from both the rear and front line leaving the daunting of taking on a team that tucked 5 past us in the first game of the season.

With a low sun setting behind one goal, things were looking up from the off as South won the toss, kept the sun on their backs and immediately set about imposing themselves on the opposition right from their pushback. Ian and Phil took the game to the opposition, pressing in tandem so that one was always available to pick up the opposition should they break past the other. Wilco and Joe were running the wings and providing much needed width for the back line, especially on defensive 16s as we were well aware that we needed to provide support to David and Howard in the full back positions while Ky was taking Dave's place of taking the set pieces.

In fact, the back line were superbly well organised. Tom P moved from full back to centre this week to cover for the loss of the Monckasaurus and he was everywhere. If he wasnt charging across to support the full backs, he was dropping deep to snuff out attacks that breached the defence or setting off on a run through the gaps that appeared quite often in the centre of the pitch as the St Neots forwards and midfield over committed in their search for the opening goal.

It wasn't long in coming; a good spell of pressure from the South midfield produced a series of free hits from the panicked Saints defence saw first Simon then Nathan taking snapshots that worked the Saints goalkeeper and produced a couple of fine saves. The movement from the front pair only added to the confusion in the Saints back line as more and more gaps were opening up for the South midfield to exploit and force more turn overs and free hits. One such hit was taken quickly by Ian, who drilled a fierce drive into the heart of the D from just outside the 25. It was begging for a touch and Simon duly obliged, deflecting it through the goalie's legs to set South on their way.

Knowing that being first to score was usually not the most helpful thing for them, South kept their foot on the gas, piling forward at every opportunity looking for the second goal to give them the cushion, they've never really had in any previous league game. Several short corners were won and despite not taking them, the goalie was kept honest in the majority of them. The South defence were immense in keeping the Saints at bay and when they did get some shots away, Tom R was more than capable of dealing with them.

So 1-0 at half time, South on the offensive and the skipper called for more of the same. It was going to be vital for both teams to get the next goal, South to hopefully kill the game off, Saints to get themselves back into it. Once again, South were up and at 'em right from the off. The midfield were able to pick their passes to get balls wide to the wings and forwards who were pouring forward at every opportunity.

It wasn't entirely one way traffic, as Saints looked to get the ball upfield quickly whenever they had the chance to, but the ball was certainly pinging from 25 to 25 at break-neck speed.

South had several good opportunities to extend their lead, but the Saints had two outstanding players in their goalkeeper and a young lad playing at the back who were quick and alert to most thigns that came through; Nathan had a couple of chances that were sheperded away by said defender and another where he narrowly failed to beat the keeper to a loose ball. However, it was clear that it was starting to be a question of when rather than if South could add to thier lead. When it came, it was a thing of beauty. Phil worked tirelessly in midfield to take several players out of the game and tee up Ian who made a lung bursting run from deep to collect the ball on the 25 yard line, skip past the challenge of a defender and unleash a thunderbolt from the edge of the D that flew across the keeper and into the far corner of the goal to make it 2-0 to South.

To give Saints credit, they never let their heads drop and they continued to play some very good, intelligent hockey. They had a near unrelenting spell shortly after the second goal where Tom P and Ian found themselves in the right place at the right time to make timely interceptions and then recycle the ball to set up counter-attacks for South. One such breakdown saw the ball come out to the left to David B who cracked a peach of a shot upfield to Simon who flicked the ball around the defence to attempt to set Nathan away, but instead adding even more pace to the ball and the chance went begging. Not to be deterred, David then attempted the same thing across the pitch to set Joe free on the right after advancing to almost the half way line. The disgust heard in the bellowed cry of "chase it then!" as Joe failed to make appropriate use of the opportunity and the ball went out for a deep side line ball.

There was still time for some slapstick action before the final whistle as Simon gallantly took away Boris's LoM award (the 4s VC informed his captain 45 mins before pushback he was not coming) by getting a foot in the way of Phil's goalbound strike. He then attempted to make amends by snapping up a mishit 16 from the Saints defence and attempted to play Nathan in, in the D but only succeeded in playing the ball back to the Saint's defender.

As Saints pushed harder to get back into the game, South were content to soak up the pressure and attempt to hit Saints on the break as the game drew to a close. Simon had a half chance when attempting to redirect a shot from Phil goalwards, but failed to get a decent connection. With the final seconds ticking away, South found themselves in a position for one final attack. The ball was worked out wide to Joe on the right wing, who played a neat 1-2 with Howard supporting from right back. The ball was fed into Nathan on the baseline who took out not one, but two defenders who were attempting to show him and the ball off the pitch. A neat cut back found Simon unmarked, who could only manage to crack a snapshot against the post and wide with what proved to be the final action of the game.

So, the 4s recorded the first win of the season and a first league clean sheet to boot. Tom R had a great game after volunteering to don the damp goalie's kit and the back four of Howard, Ky, Tom P and David had a very solid game at the back. Joe, Wilco, Ian and Phil were dominant in midfield as always and Simon and Nathan were causing no end of trouble for the Saints backline throughout the game ensuring that the home defence were constantly looking over their shoulders. Hard to see where some of the missing regulars will slot back in again for the visit of Cambridge City 5s next weekend...