Although a ‘friendly’, the M4s game against Nomads 3s (dropped down from the league above this season) was the first taste of Div 6 this coming season - playing the Nomads in a league game on 2nd November. With the Nomads winning the push-back, we (wrongly) assumed we would be getting the ball first as it was a friendly! Alas, we were wrong, and the so-called ‘friendly’ became much more serious, with the Nomads quickly taking the ball and pushing on towards our goal. Outrage ensued, with the umpire admitting at teas afterwards he almost blew them up for it (although there is no official rule in the book from which Rulebook Ron could blow them up for it - tut tut).

The first half was fairly one-sided, with South dominating and having quite a few chances. This being said, Nomads had one very good opportunity to score a goal with one of their younger players managing to run past our defence and go one-on-one with our keeper. However, a few scuffs of the sticks and miss-hits meant that Shahzad could calmly go back to sitting on the back of the goal having not touched the ball - his daunting stature scaring the opposition from getting a strike? Going into the half-time talk we were bemused as to why we hadn’t scored: our new formation of 3-5-2 seemed to give us plenty of possession but perhaps it ended up being more 5-3-2 with the defence (as they do) always asking for people to drop back.

Second half push-back found the skipper being awarded the LOM, partly because there weren’t any other worthy LOMs (although Ky did ask everyone afterwards to vote him LOM (??) gaining himself 2nd place LOM). The captain decided that, as it was a friendly, he would hit it back to the Nomads (as we were better than them and sporting) - however, picking a hole in their defence a Dave Monck-esque smash found its way over the opposition’s backline - Nomads screamed in outrage claiming it was a friendly, but after their own push-back - huh?? Funnily, quickly pressing their 16', Boris and Joe almost found South’s first goal, however to no avail.

Indeed, the first goal came with a cross into the box from John G, finding Boris in the middle. Unfortunately it was bobbling and Borris could not control it - to the fortune of Wilco! A man on a mission, he gently pushed the ball towards the keeper??! However, Wilco’s devious plan actually worked! With what I imagine was clever psychology on Wilco’s behalf, the Keeper expected a shot on target and reacted accordingly……Wilco’s soft gentle (2mph if that!) push went trickling in underneath the keeper much to the shock of pretty much everyone on the pitch (both opposition and us!) This special goal quickly got nominated by the skipper as “Captain’s Best-Worst Goal of the Season”.

Courtesy of Wilco’s goal, this then opened the flood gates for South as a barrage of chances came in, Borris took a couple of shots, John G took one or two and Ian almost landed one. It was only from a clever one-two from a quick taken free hit by Joe and passed to Tim C that the second goal came in. As Joe hit it back to Tim on the edge of the D, Tim coolly passed it back to Joe as he ran in, taking it past two players (the yard-stick practice paying off?) to the right of the goalie and unleashed a scorcher to the far post. The goalie managed to get an inside pad on it but only to further push it into the back of the net. This goal got the “Umpires best goal of the match” at teas afterwards and a noticeable ‘that-was-good’ nod from Jack- not that there was much contention (final score being 2-0).

Other than that, it was a jovial Away game with which the 4s had to travel to the dizzying distances of the Abbey and leaves a clean sheet for the 4s this season. With the second leg against Saffron Walden next week at the Leys, which was a close last game, it is all to play for.

Other notable mentions:

• Shazad (GK) had maybe one touch on the ball?

• Charlie’s runs from right back found himself as a forward sometimes

• John G tried to take out Ian M with a pass

• Alex C enjoyed running a lot on the wing and looked like he may have passed out at one stage

• Tim Clapp shouldn’t be playing for us

• Ky swore a lot at a member of the opposition to only then find out he worked with him for 7 years previously - awkward? He also took out a little kid and tried to get everyone to vote him LOM - the captain is outraged that he somehow didn’t get it?!

• Rasmus played for 5 minutes as it wasn’t raining this week (see LOM last week)

• Boris was sad he didn’t get any goals

• Ian M almost got a goal

• Dave’s 16 yard ‘hospital hits’ almost sending multiple Nomads players to A&E with head injuries (I counted 5?!)

• Jelley has found a new favourite position?

• Wilco has advance knowledge of goalie psychology

• Joe W is ‘unsporting’ (apparently) but can score a good goal

• Jack enjoyed Nomad’s teas

• Ron enjoyed blowing Dave’ ‘Hospital-hit’ Monck’s balls