Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
- Dylan Thomas

South 3rds' struggle against relegation is close to the point of no return. With four matches left of the season, we found ourselves ten points from safety. My abacus tells me that a defeat means relegation being confirmed. However, until the maths says we are actually down, hope springs eternal. Indeed there was optimism amongst the team as we had good availability for once, even being able to offer the 4ths a player whilst still retaining (shock, horror!) two subs. Also giving grounds was the form of our opponents, March 2nds, who came into the match on an eight game losing run that extend back to November last year.

A quick headcount of the yellow shirts provided yet more encouragement, as it became clear that March were going to play with just ten men. It would have been hard to pick which side was short-numbered in the opening ten minutes though, as March pushed us back and had our defence and midfield chasing shadows. They got their reward with the opening goal, collecting a loose ball in the circle, feeding a pass in that allowed a neat control and turn to give the forward space to flick past Rob W.

In our last home game against Spalding, we had taken a shock lead but then given up an equaliser nearly immediately, meaning we never discovered whether we might have caused panic in the team expecting to win. The pattern was repeated here as we levelled within five minutes. JT dragged a ball into the circle from the right channel, arrowing towards Rob B and a defender. It hit something, probably the defenders heel, and flew into the far corner. With the own goal rule still in force at our level of hockey, it didn’t matter who or what it had touched, that was good enough to count as a goal.

Not long after and we were ahead when Paul fed a ball in to Ali, slightly left of centre in the circle and with his back to goal. Ali pushed a shot as he spun and found the near bottom corner of the net.

By now we were well on top, with March’s forays rarely getting beyond our 25. When they did get bodies forward their lack of numbers meant they were exposed on the counter-attack, and such a source produced our third goal. It was well worked, as a quick ball from defence found Ali on the right flank. Ali played it diagonally forward to Dave in the centre, who kept the ball moving in the same direction on to Jacob, in acres of space on the left. A couple of touches took Jacob into the circle and he hammered the chance into the far corner, the shot being sent on its way milliseconds before the scrambling defence closed him down (it's called timing).

With a 3-1 half-time lead things looked pretty comfortable, but the next goal did feel important; 4-1 and 3-2 are very different scores. When we got it, the match was over as a contest. It came from another simple passing move. Ali, out on the left touchline, again fed Dave bursting through the centre. He drew the last defender and put Rob through in the left channel. Rob rounded the ‘keeper and reverse-stick swept into the far corner. With pike.

Now it was a matter of how many, but as it would turn out we only added one further strike. A penalty corner was played out to Paul at the top of the circle. His flicked shot beat the keeper and hit a defender's foot on the line; penalty flick. Dave took the responsibility and put it into the bottom (sort of) corner.

It all means we have won a home game. I think the word is ‘finally’. Just the tenth time of asking. Against ten men. And, thinking back, our first win of any sort also came in our tenth game. Obviously, ten is our lucky number this year.

Thanks to March for their sportsmanship in making the journey short-numbered.