Back at Fortress Long Road this week for the return leg against fourth in the table St Ives 4s, with an opportunity to build on last weekend's spirited performance against Nomads and with a team strengthened by 4s' guests, Stu C, Pete D and Rob B.

A characteristically strong start from the home team, pressing the St Ives defence immediately from the push-back, led to Howard S receiving the ball on the edge of the D and firing it into Rob B, positioned perfectly to deflect the ball into the visitors' goal. Alas, the deflection was deemed to have come from a defender's stick. Goal disallowed.

The South team continued to press hard, creating scoring opportunities for Alan R, Simon T and Rob B. The 5s' defence were solid throughout the half, except for one small lapse of concentration that allowed one of the St Ives youngsters to break through and slip the ball past keeper Micheal G to a teammate waiting on the far post, who buried the ball in the South net. One-nil at half time; this felt very familiar!

The second half started in much the same way as the first had finished, with both teams playing with intensity. Another breakthrough from the St Ives attack prompted a spectacular save from the South keeper, with the ball ending up underneath him. Not wishing to give away a penalty he quickly rolled away, leaving the ball free to be scooped up by a waiting St Ives player and tapped past the grounded keeper. This was now feeling even more familiar!

It wasn't long before the home team struck back. Stu C battled his way into the contested opposition D and managed to pull the ball back to Simon T at the far post, who fired it into the back of the net. Once again this seemed to spur the home team on in much the same way it had seven days earlier in the Nomads match, and led to several opportunities to grab the all—important equaliser, but alas we were beaten again by the clock. On the positive side we can chalk this up as another strong and spirited performance which will undoubtedly bring us the victories we deserve if we can keep it up!

MoM on the day was Stu C for bamboozling the opposition with his stick and ball skills, but there has to also be a collective MoM for Phil H and Andy T for making the three-day expedition to Louth with the M4s; Steve Browne for stepping down to reduce numbers; and John G for still being injured!

LoM was unanimously awarded to Rupert E for his attempted aerial that succeeded in going feet foot upwards into the air rather than any distance forwards!