Following a tough week for the skippers and umpires manager, as they proved that making 55 available people fill up five teams and also provide 10 Umpires is logistically challenging, South 3rds took the field with a strong looking side on paper. There was certainly talent there, but there was also the scratch nature, to quote Johnny B’s confirmation email, of an “11 drawn from 4 of the 5 teams” that the Men’s club is running this season. For those counting that was Parky (1sts, doubling up), Olly (now up to the 2nds officially, doubling up to help his old pals), Tim (technically down from the 2nds, but still coming back from illness so actually stepping up from the 4ths) and Jacob (4ths. For now. Stop pouting, Joe). Not the settled side that saw us promoted last season, and far from ideal against Peterborough 6ths, who are established at this level and had begun the season with two wins from two.

There was early evidence of a lack of teamwork as our visitors took the lead with a soft goal. A cross was allowed to make its way from our right all the way across the D past a number of defenders, reaching a player on the back post who had somehow found five yards of space despite most of the our team being in relatively close proximity. He tapped home. Nothing like making life difficult for yourselves…

We began to build a platform despite the shocking start, and were level 15 minutes later. Olly put in a good tackle to turn the ball over on halfway and set Tom running at the Peterborough defence. Tom drove right, and then played a lovely pass against the grain, perfectly into Rupert’s stride. Rupert collected and lifted neatly over the onrushing ‘keeper and in. Following the goal there was a vocal shout that it had been against the run of play. Which was true. But quite why our centre-forward felt the need to inform the world of this, I’m not sure.

This goal seemed to rock Peterborough somewhat, and we had our best period of the game. But that ended when we took a 12-bore to our own feet. A 16-yard hit was taken, and played from the sideline towards the middle of the pitch, neatly picking out the centre-forward. The Peterborough centre-forward. With no cover defenders having a chance of getting involved, the striker drew Parky and slid home. Maybe this came down to the scratch nature of the side again. The player responsible (naming no names) is more used to playing far higher up the pitch than defence, where passes attempting to thread through narrow gaps are not so immediately damaging if they get cut out. I wouldn’t go so far as saying our team featured square pegs in round holes, it was more pegs that had had to be ‘encouraged’ into place. With a hammer.

To compound matters, within five minutes Peterborough had added two more goals from short corners, first a rebound lifted high into the net and then a slip giving the player time and space to fire ball home at the near post. 4-1 down at half-time, and close to game over. Whether the score would have been that different without the gift is arguable as Peterborough were worthy of their 3-goal lead at that point, but the feeling that it was all a bit self-inflicted didn’t help matters.

The second half was more a test of the spirit of our side than anything else, and at least that counts as a positive from the day, as better work rate and teamwork meant that we could count ourselves unlucky not to ‘win’ the half. Instead, it was ‘lost’ inside the final minute, as a clearance out of the Peterborough circle turned into a brilliant raking through ball, picking out their winger deep in our territory. Peterborough worked the overload opportunity well, drawing men and then passing to supporting players to eliminate defenders from the game, finishing with an unopposed shot that Parky didn’t have an earthly with. This goal came so late that there wasn’t time to restart the game before the final whistle.

So we have started life in Division 4NW with three defeats on the spin, and the league table currently makes grim reading. Our next two games are winnable in theory as they come against fellow promoted sides Bourne Deeping 3rds and St. Ives 3rds, opposition we took eight points from last season (four from each). Fingers crossed that positive results can be gained and the league campaign gets going, otherwise it could all prove rather a slog.