The fourth episode of the tragi-comedy that is the M2s' season saw us travel to play Cambridge City 5ths, who are likely to be up toward the top of the league come March and represented a substantial challenge to our own hopes of marching up the table.

The opening exchanges suggested it was to be a physical encounter and not in a cuddly, ‘Do you mind if I leave my socks on?’ kind of way. You had to keep your wits about you to anticipate which of the flurry of shoulders, elbows, knees and sticks was going to hit home first but the umpires did a good job of making sure that things never escalated from fruity to violent.

We became increasingly bogged down under the relentless pressure and struggled to string anything cohesive together from back to front. All hands were required at the back, with Doug putting in another performance of quiet but diligent authority. Somehow though, we rowed through these turbulent waters and after Manny had gone close from open play, took the lead via a neat right-post Menzies tip-in, a short corner routine that had been honed since its last outing in Wellingborough.

A Mingis scuffer doubled our advantage, quite against the run of play, but as we grew into the general game, managed to concede twice to level things up. Both goals came from short corners, the first a boomed looper that defeated an unsighted Anns and the second a right-slipper that defeated an onrushing George.

The home side had some talented lads through their midfield and forward line but they seemed about as secure in possession at the back as we were, i.e. not very, as I was having ‘one of those games’ – the lads usually forgive me one pass to the centre forward a game, but they took exception at twenty seven. When asked after the game to comment on my distribution, the general consensus was ‘started badly and got rapidly worse’. Anyway, up at their end, we turned over the ball high up the pitch after good pressure from the irrepressible Nev and a neat interchange around the circle (Polge was probably involved) led to Jon ably poking home.

So, with a narrow lead at half time but expecting an onslaught from City at the start of the second period, Oven thought it best to tweak the formation. With four men now up front and one in midfield, we certainly weren’t backward in going forward. Menzies was firmly in ‘the hole’ by this point, but we occasionally lured him out with a wordy titbit to try some defending.

It was during one such spasm that he threw down a glove at the foot of City’s most chirpy character, a sort of gangly Artless Dodger. Sadly, Crouchy chose ‘stick-throwing’ over ‘poetry’ as his preferred method of duel. This didn’t play to our hero’s strengths but fortunately for James, it was yours truly that took the collateral damage.

A lively debate between the two of them ensued, whilst I crawled around the D on all fours, trying to remember who, where and why I was. The first sight that I focussed on was the beaming form of Anns, who looked desperate to take the armband, although perhaps he just needed the toilet again. I confess, I did briefly consider closing my eyes again and letting it all just slip away but some competitive fire stirred deep within my breast and I re-took my place in the defensive line.

Although City were switching the ball well by now, our organisation was generally good and it was something of a surprise when an equaliser went in. I can’t think of anyone to blame so conclude it must have been a well-worked goal.

Both sides were keen for a winner whilst neither wanted to over-commit in chasing one for fear of losing the game. A couple of shorties needed pushing away at our end, Shin was at his floaty best to wobble out of trouble down the left a couple of times and Polge almost clinched it at the death after a neat collection and turn in the D. In the end, we shook hands for a 3-3, which probably felt about right to both teams. A point was a decent outcome against a side that had some of the better players we’ve faced so far this season. Next up is another derby, this time welcoming Nomads to Long Road.