In this eagerly-awaited clash between Division 4 NW's top two teams, a depleted South side missing Massey, Tostevin, Erlebach, Fleck, Carey, Rose and Hay showed tremendous courage to fight back from 3-1 down after twenty-three minutes to claim a share of the points and remain the only team Athletic have failed to beat to date. Of the eight goals conceded by Athletic so far, South have scored five and the other ten teams have managed just three between them in twelve games, which speaks volumes for South's attacking depth and never-say-die attitude. But despite hauling themselves back to 3-3 by half-time, South could not have survived without a superb defensive display in the second half, in which, backstopped by on-fire keeper Steve Parker, they successfully kept out seven shorts and two penalty flicks.

It was clear from the start that Athletic's front men, benefiting from early ball supplied by a hard-hitting defence and midfield, were going to cause big problems and Parker had already had to make three diving clearances before the five minute mark had been reached. Promisingly, though, Vijay Agarwala gave the Athletic defence pause for thought with a long run full of poise and power before his cross was cleared, and brother Sanjay again demonstrated why most teams have found him a handful on the left wing this season after being put away by a typically thunderous Jim Thorpe clearance.

Another well-worked manoeuvre linked through Chris Graveling and Rob Garrett showed South had some teeth and, on seven minutes, Rob Barton just missed the home goal after a feed from Sanjay Agarwala. However, the Athletic defence had little difficulty in penetrating the ring and, two minutes later, a cross from another burst up the right wing was only half blocked, leaving a well-placed attacker to punch the ball away from six yards.

Yet South, undaunted, bounced back immediately and, after a good run by Matt Readman, Rob Sprawson threaded a ball in from the right and Rob Garrett seized on a loose offering in the circle to slot home into the bottom corner as the goalie dived in vain. Athletic then won their first short, despite solid work at left defence from Vijay Agarwala, and a real stinger was well gloved down by Parker, who then swept to the right out of danger. On a second short two minutes later, Parker read the switch and made an excellent left-foot save and clear before an incoming Athletic forward undercut a fierce shot high into the net (and out through a hole in the back) to make it 2-1 after seventeen minutes.

At this stage, Athletic were knocking the ball long distances with ominous ease and control, and Thorpe and Readman had to work overtime to stem the tide. When Sprawson and Garrett finally managed to get some breathing space in the middle and put Barton clear, the latter was heavily legged up as a reminder that physique as well as skill was needed to make progress upfield.

Despite doughty work by the resilient Keith Simpson, Athletic won a third short on twenty-two minutes and Parker again thwarted a crafty switch with a big pad save. But he had little chance with the next short, when another clever shimmy to the left by the striker opened up a gaping hole gleefully exploited with a crashing shot to the backboard.

At 3-1 down after twenty-three minutes and with South struggling to get the play beyond their own twenty-five, things looked grim. Then Simpson was harshly called for a further short after another of Athletic's trademark crossfield hits, but South survived and Sanjay Agarwala made good ground with a teasing dribble on the left side before brother Vijay sent Graveling up the middle on a threatening run which ended in a well-disguised reverse-stick pass to Garrett. On this occasion, Garrett - a revelation on the right wing - shot wide but, after Parker had crucially tipped a rocket against the bar to save a fourth and possibly fatal goal, the league newcomer used his obvious pace and long reach to create panic in the Athletic defence. First, he forced South's first short following fraternal collaboration by the Agarwalas, and then, after Sprawson's big drive had been cleared off the line, he got into perfect position to touch Simpson's free hit into the bottom right-hand corner and narrow the deficit on thirty-two minutes.

Athletic threatened again with a direct run from midfield but Readman stuck to his man like superglue and ran him into a corner before prising the ball free and clearing. The clearance was snapped up by Sprawson, who drove forward up the right, and it was that man Garrett again who telescopically rounded the defence and pulled the ball back to Barton, who stuffed it home without frills to level the score at 3-3 a minute before half-time. So, barely five minutes after staring almost certain defeat in the face, South had clawed themselves back into contention and set up an enthralling second half.

After a rain-lashed team talk, South came out fighting, with Barton, Graveling and Sprawson all to the fore in advanced positions down the right wing. After Thorpe, Readman and John Benedikz - the latter showing particular coolness under fire - had worked the ball out of defence, the fleet-footed Garrett again eluded Athletic's back division and Sprawson won South's first, and last, short of the half after 38 minutes. His firm strike to the right post was stopped and kicked clear, though, and Athletic forced the ball downfield through a dangerously unchecked dribble to win the first of six shorts in a ten-minute spell which saw South constantly under the cosh. But keeper Parker brought all his long experience to bear at this critical stage, blocking a fierce drive from the first corner and diving brilliantly to his right to stick away the goal-bound follow-up for a long.

Simpson then made a key tackle on the edge of the D and Graveling toughed it out under a hail of pressure in the corner before Athletic worked it round the goal-line for another short. This time, Parker brought off a stunning airborne pad save from a real snorter and, moments later, nullified a dangerous switch play with a right-footed save and clear.

After a brief respite thanks to Readman and Simpson, Parker was again forced to clear with his stick before blocking a fourth short with the aid of Simpson on the line. The fifth and sixth shorts failed too, and Readman, Simpson and Graveling had just managed to gain a little possession when, in a sickening accident, the Peterborough captain broke his leg after falling awkwardly in a challenge just inside the D.

Following a subdued thirty minutes in which the emergency services attended, it was decided to continue the game and Parker was immediately faced with a penalty stroke which would return the lead to Athletic if they scored. But, as in the previous fixture between the teams, the South keeper was equal to the task and confidently beat away a hard rising shot after a flying dive.

Though Vijay Agarwala then found some open space on the left, a rapacious Athletic were soon back in the D and Parker reacted brilliantly to kick away a half-sighted deflection. Another dive and stick save was followed by a classic block from point-blank range; the ensuing scramble saw another penalty stroke awarded but this time Parker did not have to save as the taker over-compensated and hit the post to keep the score, almost miraculously, at 3-3.

Although beleaguered, South managed to get Sprawson free for long enough to set Barton up for a shot - which went just wide - on fifty-seven minutes, but the Athletic forwards closed in once more. Readman tenaciously diverted an angled attack into the corner, Benedikz tackled convincingly and Thorpe cleared with grim determination but Parker again had to be on his mettle to clear a reverse-stick shot. Readman, relishing the cut and thrust, released Barton to no avail but, moments later, the big forward made a determined run to beat the home keeper way out on the left and an upset goal suddenly looked on the cards. However, Athletic somehow cleared this, and another break from Sprawson, and homed in again on South's D.

The visitors' defence, though at full stretch, conceded only one further short, in the sixty-fourth minute, when Parker made another top-class save from a rasping lifter and Simpson coolly swept the rebound out to the wings. Parker was still not finished, having to kick away another reversed hit in the sixty-seventh minute, and South even managed to escape the yoke long enough for Garrett to threaten victory with another pacy right-wing run two minutes from time, but the whistle eventually blew to end a breathless and, amazingly, goalless second half, giving South a point that may well be crucial in the long run.

Although under severe pressure from a very strong Athletic side for much of the game, the whole South team, and particularly the defence, showed great mental resolve and composure, especially in the second half, and were never afraid to counter-attack even when the match seemed almost beyond them; the attitude remained positive throughout, with encouraging contributions from everyone on the pitch. This was a result from which South could take great heart, and it is to be hoped that the same level of commitment and fortitude can be maintained over the next two, critical, months.