Having got the season’s long slog out of the way with last week’s trek to Alford, South 3rds began a run of four consecutive matches in Cambridge (and also seven out of eight in the city) by hosting St Ives 4ths. Confidence was high ahead of the game, based on strong availability for us and a rumoured selection crisis for the opposition.

We opened the match decently and were on the front foot for much of the opening half. The first goal took a while to come but eventually we cut the Saints' backline open. Ed started it with a quickly taken free-hit up to Rob. Rob waited for James's run behind the back of the full-back defence to mature and then played a channel ball. James received at pace, surging across the front of the Saints' keeper, whose weight was still going with the previous direction of attack. This left him wrong-footed and James was able to walk the ball home. Our second was in somewhat similar circumstances as a quickly taken free-hit opened up space around the circle. Dan moved in, drew the keeper and passed to Rob, who finished smartly.

With a two goal advantage the job was mostly done. One more and the three points were going to be secure and we got that very soon after the restart, with a little bit of assistance from the Saints' backline. Their attempt at a transfer across the back broke down with a mishit pass, allowing James to pounce on the ball on the twenty-three. Having ridden a last-ditch attempt to avert the danger from the scrambling full-back, James was into the circle unopposed. He drove wide of the post to draw the keeper and then pulled it back to Paul on the spot. Paul added the necessary three inches of air to his shot to take it over the keeper's despairing stick.

From then on it was just a question of how many, as the visitors tired. It turned out to be three. In no particular order (i.e. I can’t remember!) these were a first ever goal for South from left-winger Ed, who pounced on a loose ball to flick home from a narrow angle; a second from Rob on the second phase after Ed’s pass had set James clean through, the keeper repulsing the initial surge but then out of position when the loose ball ended up on Rob’s stick; and a penalty corner routine that went Dave to Rob, back to Dave in space but with the ball running away from him, swipe, miss, land on arse, see ball run on to Ian who struck crisply into the far corner.

Somewhere in amongst all this the original match ball went over the astro fencing. Ian was the man taking a break as part of the substitution rotation at the time, so he pottered round to retrieve it. One of our goals came soon after, which was also the time for the next midfield sub, which seemed the perfect opportunity to get the preferred orb back into play, Ian jogging onto the pitch and plonking it down on the centre spot. Unfortunately both teams were happy with the replacement, and play was already back underway using that! A spectacularly lemon-worthy incident that earned the day’s award...for Paul! No, me neither. But as with issues passim, if that is what the vote at Cantabs says happened, then the matter is closed.