A rather alarming start to the second half of our season. Quite literally in fact, as we arrived to find the Latham Road clubhouse alarm blaring out and annoying all the people in the posh houses nearby. Eventually it was silenced, allowing an atmosphere of calm and peace to descend over the place…but not for long!

A blistering start from the home team, as a John G pass found Pete D racing towards the baseline in his designated wing-back position and his perfectly placed cross reached Avi S, well positioned on the back post to blast the ball into the net. It couldn’t have been a better start for the title-hungry 5s!

From then onwards things started to slip as the opposition found their rhythm, forcing keeper Matt SG to make some unspectacular but nevertheless important saves. South began to pile on the pressure again as half time approached but despite concerted pressure on the CoP defence, nothing would drop.

Through the early part of the second half the home team’s performance remained a little lacklustre. Clearly the Christmas and New Year excesses were having an effect. The opportunities were coming our way but we just weren’t converting them. The game finished pretty much as it started, with South piling on the pressure but unable to secure that second goal.

All in all, a good result that keeps us firmly in the title race. A promising start and finish, we just need to work on the bit in the middle!

A well-deserved MoM goes to Pete J - a.k.a. Scottish Pete, a.k.a. Young Pete, a.k.a. Other Pete, a.k.a. Rock Jnr - for keeping the defence honest.

An equally well-deserved LoM goes to Avi S for various misdemeanours including a stick-throwing tantrum that added another couple of cards to his collection.