South M4s rocked up at Wilberforce Road to find a gentle spring sun shining down on them despite the recent weather and early start and looked at the inviting surface of the new(ish) pitch with great anticipation of a good game and hopeful win to round of the elongated season. It was then almost something of an anti-climax when the skipper was duly informed by the chairman that owing to a higher team being unable to fulfill their trip to the outer reaches of our region, the opposition were also conceding the game but hoping to play a friendly. Still, there was the incentive of an unbeaten run to protect for the 4s, so it was game faces all round as the fields took to the pitch to complete the 2012-13 season.

South started brightly and made much of the early play as both teams looked to assert the authority early on. Charlie and Tom P were breaking up play effectively and using the width provided by the returning Ed B at right back and the wily David B at left back to start the wingers Rasmus and Tom R raiding down the flanks. There was even time for Tom and Charlie to make some forays into midfield to help Jacob and Wilco as South looked to work the ball quickly through to John and Andy starting up front. However, despite a lot of promising build up play to often a timely interception from the opposition or a sloppy pass let South down.

As a result, Ely started to enjoy a spell of possession and forced a series of short corners and shooting opportunities as South suddenly found themselves pinned back in their own half. However, in scenes reminisicent of the South M3-M4 derby at the end of last season, it seemed our opposition were trying to be unneccessarily sporting in finding as many ways as possible to fail to trap the ball cleanly or generally letting an opportunity slip away. However, when they did get their shots in, some vital blocks, deflections and saves from Shahzad in goal and by defensive sticks (and the one hand; see LoM) kept South in it. However, it wasn't long before one eventually slipped through and Ely took a deserved lead.

The 4s have shown great spirit in recent games and this continued with some determined play to attempt to get the equalising goal. Several good opportunities were carved out by some excellent play from midfield as both Tom R and Simon J played through several balls that John and Simon F just failed to get on the end of. When we did, several shots flew just wide of the post as it seemed our frustration was going to get the better of us.

However, we were not to be denied. Simon J broke up another Ely attack and fed the ball to Tom R on the left. Beating his first marker and dragging a second across, he flicked the ball inside to the lurking captain who had wriggled free of his own marker, collected the ball and made a beeline for the baseline. Sprinting to offer support, Rasmus made his way into the D and called for the ball. The captain duly obliged, sending the ball towards the centre of the D, where South's Great Dane collected the ball and after seeing his first shot blocked by the keeper's pads, calmly followed up and ensure the rebound was dispatched before either keeper or defender could react to bring the scores level at 1-1.

South settled again and were carving out more opportunities to get the ball into the opposition's D. South were forcing more and more errors from the Ely players and from the resultant free hits, several meaty efforts from the stick of the Monckasaurus went begging for a touch as he tried to find that trademark ball into the danger area for the forwards to snaffle another but it wasnt quite happening despite the best efforts. Instead, it was from a break up of play, that a ball was smacked through the field from somewhere nearer his own 25, that a ball came hurtling through the congested midfield and evaded everybody's stick bar the Ely keeper. The look of shock on the hapless stoppers face as he realised what had just happened led to a collective shake of the head from Ely and although they again forced a series of shorts couldnt find a way through and the half closed with South 2-1 to the good.

The second half followed a similar pattern. South came out of the blocks quickly and went for their opponents from the off. Dave attempted to fool the opposition into thinking his assist for the second South goal was a one-off, by mishitting several clearances and free hits straight to the opposition before firing a glorious ball out of his own half towards the lurking Andy T in the opponents circle. Andy's mistimed block took enough of the pace of the ball for Rasmus to scoot round behind him to collect the ball before pulling it back for John G to tuck the ball into the goal and make the score 3-1 to South.

Ely worked tirelessly throughout the game and pulled a goal back fairly quickly to make the score 3-2, but depite turning the screw and applying more and more pressure on the home side, the defence stood firm and saw out the game. South themselves won a few short corners in the latter stages and despite those and several open play opportunities couldnt extend their lead and make the game safe. All in all, a good work out in the early morning sun against an Ely side who were very competitive and always in the game.

So, a sixth game unbeaten (5 wins and a draw) saw South M4s finish the season on a high. 6th in Div 6NWS sees us finish above St Neots 4s, Bourne Deeping 5s and our opponents Ely City 4s. Given the number of players used this season and the number of promising new players who have joined the club, things are looking good. If we can overcome our notoriously slow start to a season, who knows where we might end up next year now we've seen the back of the juggernaut that is Cambs City 5s...