This was Cambridge South M5s first game on their own, with no support from the 4s, it was a game to really test whether they were up to the challenge of the coming season. With Ed and Tom benched after doubling up for the 4s the squad looked ready to start with a strong balance of speed, experience and strength.

Within the first minute South were pressuring the home team’s D and hassling their defenders as they tried to clear the ball. One such clearance made its way to Phil who created space for himself dodging past defenders before threading a pass to Simon who slotted away South’s first goal into the bottom corner. An excellent start for South.

South were in control, Ian and James S were strong in defence and were organising the midfield allowing them to break down Saffron Walden’s attacks. A quick counter attack saw Phil linking with Owen on the right, they pushed down the pitch and powered a cross in to Simon who whacked it under the diving keeper. 2-0 South.

South began rotating players, bringing substitutes on and giving everyone a breather. James R and Simon were getting great chances in the D with a few shots being just a whisker wide of the post. Ed managed to deflect a fast ball straight into a Saffron Walden player’s forehead, no blood was drawn but the player returned the favour to Ed in the second half with a raised hit to the arm. Walden were getting frustrated, they couldn’t attack and they were being pressured every time they were on the ball, heads dropped and they failed to pick up players in the D. James M found himself unmarked and in the perfect position to catch a rebound off the keeper and drill home South’s third goal.

Confidence was high, but unfortunately led to a brief lapse in concentration as Walden managed to squeeze into the defence and claim a goal of their own. This only spurred South on continuing the domination during the final phase of the first half, James M and Owen were making runs down the wing, Tom and Phil in the centre were feeding balls to the forwards. Persistence paid off once more as James M made a run into the D and fired a shot off, the keeper got a stick to the ball but only pushed it into the path of Simon who slotted it away for his hat-trick.

4-1 at half-time, the team talk focused around doing more of the same and getting some more goals. Unfortunately Walden had other ideas as they came out of the blocks with more urgency than before, using the pace of their younger players and the skill of their experienced players to get more of a grip on the game. David and Howard were keeping up with the much younger players trying to beat them on the wings. Shahzad was working hard to keep out shots with some cracking saves. Walden were getting balls into the D and some of their more skilful players were running rings around South. They also became more aggressive in their play, both Simon and Tom were on the end of big hits. They eventually found their opportunity as South started to tire, feeding the ball though the defence and grabbing another goal. 4-2.

A slight muddle up with substitutes and injured players left the defence a little open and Walden managed to get a player alone in the D to get their third goal. South were on the back foot and now under pressure, Tom dropped to cover in defence as James S and David had to go off with niggling issues. Walden’s number 13 (who Ed had hit in the forehead) was on a warpath and managed to get just enough space to crack off a shot just inside the D to equalise for Walden. South knuckled down and defended, James B became a dominant force in midfield dispossessing Walden players and sending the ball out wide.

5 minutes to go, it looked as if South would be lucky to keep the draw but were pushing up regardless in an attempt to grab that winner. This left the defence a little bare and Walden managed to counter a failed attack by South. One of their younger players outpaced the defence and was through, until Tom caught and dispossessed him, passing the ball to Ed. Now South were on the counter, Ed got the ball to Phil who passed it around with James B, who then found James M in the corner. He sent a ball top D for James R who shot across the D and Simon flicked it under the keeper before he could get a pad to it. 5-4 final whistle blows and South win... just.

The second victory for Cambridge South M5s, next week they face Cambridge City 5s, can they continue the success?