"Time is the longest distance between two places."
-- Tennessee Williams, The Glass Menagerie

Nev: ‘If my match starts at 1.30, there is absolutely no way I can get from north Cambridge to south Cambridge in fifteen minutes. The team I play for is “Cambridge South”!’

Mrs Warren: ‘Of course you can, you know all the short-cuts!’

Pleading against trying spanning a car-hating metropolis like Cambridge from opposite points of a compass in a few minutes had little effect. Nev had to set off from Essex early and drive to north Cambridge to pick a delirious Kasper Warren up and then drop him off at the Beehive Centre so a slap-up lunch at Subway could be served with mummy. Then, he had to race to Long Road, on a day when the football traffic of the upcoming Cambridge United vs Carlisle United was maxing out the roads.

The sides were relatively evenly matched. Spalding may have even edged the possession stats. It was a game of attacking hockey that was more like a basketball match without the high scoring. Both teams served up counter-attack after counter-attack in a dizzying display of fast and accurate long passes and sprinting.

The first South goal came from quick passing down the right flank. Keishi Kohara passed the ball on the halfway line to Jamie Coltman, who skipped past a tackle and knocked the ball into the on-rushing Peter Creed. Peter accelerated and ran deep into the circle. Nev Warren had matched the run and had expected to receive the killer cross to tap into an empty net. However, Peter had other ideas. He passed the ball against the Spalding sweeper, who inadvertently punted it against the Spalding left back’s leg and into the goal. One-nil to the good guys. The lead was doubled when an inspired Jason ‘JJ’ James drag-flicked a sixteen yard pass with massive speed and accuracy upfield. Nev Warren dropped low to deflect into the path of Peter Creed. This time Peter dribbled through the remaining two defenders to coolly slot home against the on-rushing keeper. Two-nil, and a half-time team talk that was served with a distinct lack of Haribo. Like Nev’s timekeeping and excuses, not upsetting but simply disappointing!

The second half started where the first half had left off, both teams attacking with excellent vigour and skill. Notable mention goes to the Spalding right winger. Not only did he execute excellent control of the ball with great balance and skill, he was also dogged and full of beans through to the final whistle.

The win was put beyond doubt when JJ roofed a short corner into the top right corner inside the first five minutes of the second half. Both teams created chances throughout the rest of the match but a mixture of weak finishing combined with some good goal-keeping from both teams (particularly from George Toynton).

A final mention should go to George Toynton. After four years and one hundred-plus games of indoor and outdoor hockey for Cambridge South, he earned his first clean sheet as a goalkeeper. Well done, that man!