A crucial top-of-the-table clash at the Perse School saw South take all three points against a Spalding side which had boasted a 100% record from its first six games. Both teams struggled to create any clear advantages in the opening exchanges, though Steve Parker was quickly into the action with a left-footed clearance from a dangerous Spalding though ball. At the other end, John Taylor forced his way into the D after a telling thrust up the right from Jonny Tostevin and Chris Graveling fed Rob Barton for a trademark reverse shot, which was well blocked.

By the fifteen minute mark, South had gradually begun to create more room for themselves with some incisive passing hockey and, after a fine clearance from the immaculate Jim Thorpe at sweeper, concerted pressure in the Spalding D resulted in Barton pouncing on a rebound to make it 1-0 after twenty-two minutes.

South's first short minutes later nearly doubled the lead as Graveling tipped the ball just past the post from a thunderous Rob Sprawson strike. Sanjay Agarwala, who tormented the Spalding defence throughout, then blasted spectacularly over the bar on the right and Barton, with (almost) balletic grace, sent an equally powerful backhander wide on the left. Surviving a short that was drilled past the post, South ended the half clearly on top thanks to their increasing domination of the midfield.

The pattern continued after the interval and it was no surprise when Barton, well positioned as ever, was on the spot to snap in the second after forty-two minutes following Sprawson's determined surge into the Spalding circle. The visitors came back strongly at this point, however, winning a penalty corner which was struck wide and then forcing Parker to save well and tidy up after a burst down the right which saw them clear in the D. After a home short from Sprawson was kicked out, South endured a hectic five minutes following a defensive rearrangement and Parker made a crucial stick save diving to his right when Spalding appeared to be through.

Chris Graveling's reappearance at sweeper steadied the ship and play immediately switched to the other end, where a speculative long hit seemed to strike the post, leading to a short but fruitless bout of hacking and chopping round the besieged Spalding goalie. A flowing move stemming from Rick Erlebach and Matt Readman, who repeatedly impressed with his sang-froid when finessing the ball out of defence, exerted further pressure up front, subsequently augmented by a good diagonal run from Rob Hay and another sparkling surge from the tireless Readman.

A third short for Spalding on sixty-two minutes was confidently blocked and cleared by Parker and, moments later, Spalding's hopes of a comeback were finally extinguished when Barton was brought down in the D and Graveling expertly converted the flick as the goalie went the wrong way.

The final five minutes belonged almost exclusively to South as Barton forced the goalie into a double pad save and Taylor wrong-footed everyone by preceding a booming drive with a graceful, though possibly unintentional, air shot.

The most impressive feature of the game, which saw South playing their best hockey for some considerable time, was the collective vision and distributing ability of the midfield, spearheaded by Graveling, Tostevin, Readman, the unshowily reliable Keith Simpson and an increasingly authoritative Chris Massey, who put in a near-faultless performance; special mention should be made, too, of Jim Thorpe's laser-like pass upfield to Erlebach, which, by his own account, was a thing of beauty. South's flowing, often one-time moves denied their opponents any worthwhile possession for long periods, engendering confidence within the side and creating a momentum which everyone hopes can be sustained over the coming weeks.

Skipper Steve Parker, reflecting on an excellent team performance to which everyone contributed, stressed that the side had set high standards which would need to be maintained, not least in the upcoming fixture against a parsimonious Long Sutton.