Cambridge South 3rds' players converged on Stevenage from all points of the compass to participate in the penultimate match of the season. Those coming from Peterborough were looking to continue their good days work after beating Peterborough (1-0) and those fresh from their game with Ely looking to rescue honour after the 1-9 defeat. There were even three or four players who hadn't doubled this week.

The opening phase of the game was a sloppy affair with little sight of the ball at either end and both teams struggling to put a string of passes together. South's striking partnership of Nick Wong and Jack Chalk struggled to get the ball into the opposition twenty-five, whilst the midfield combination of Wilco Dijkstra, Rob Barton, Shan Golar and Finn Johnson found themselves in a tussle for possession. All this hard work alas saw few proper attacking opportunities. The games first goal eventually arrived as Stevenage took a free hit on the edge of the South D very quickly. The shot was initially saved although the rebound was swept home past the prone keeper. This was a frustrating blow for South who were starting to play with more cohesion.

South's response was immediate and they turned up the pressure by driving Stevenage back into their own D and winning a series of short corners. Stevenage proved to be quick off the mark and South were unable to capitalise on any of their opportunities.

Stevenage made an unusual substitution, swapping their regular keeper for his first team equivalent, although this proved to be a critical mistake. The equaliser came from a short corner late in the half. A good push out from Chalk went straight to John Benedikz who, with his amazing ability of aiming the ball at the keeper every time did just that but, fortunately for South, Nick Wong appeared from nowhere just before the keeper got to the ball and diverted the ball into the corner of the goal.

Within minutes of the second half starting South drove into the Stevenage D and with the ball trapped under the keeper won a penalty flick. South's keeper/captain, Will Benedikz, came charging up-field up to take the stroke himself. Astoundingly as the stroke was being set up the umpires went into discussion and the decision was reversed to a sixteen yard hit.

The rest of the half became a game of steady build-up play from Stevenage punctuated by rapid South counter attacks, especially through Jack and Shan in midfield. The solid South defence of Andy Pounce, Rob Garrett, Rod Richardson and John Benedikz repelled every Stevenage attack and the equilibrium never looked like being broken by the home side. One final incident of note was a hard strike into the Stevenage D that was deflected inches over the bar by Nick Wong in a manner of which goal-machine Adlington would have been proud.

Big thank you to all those who have doubled up, especially to Rob Barton who didn't realise he was going to at the start of the day.