If today’s game has taught me anything, it is that age does not mellow a man. You could be forgiven for thinking we were playing a bunch of gobby adolescents rather than Vets, such was the colourful language coming from the opposition. And the worst offender teaches at the Perse of all places! Their school motto, “Qui facit per alium, facit per se”, apparently roughly translates as, “The [unprintable] umpire is a [unprintable].” Thank God for the state school system.

To the game itself. South lined up against the Vets, keen to avoid the same humiliation by the older generation that the MLads were handed by the MDads the previous December. It was also critical to get some points (or percentages, looking at how they order the new league tables) following the disappointing reverse at Spalding. Steve Wicks had the central role in a new look three man midfield, flanked by Menzies and club legend Mark Williams. The excellent Dean was back for another week in defence, alongside the reliable Patel, Marchant and Anns. Aston also played.

South were by far the stronger side of the first half, with fantastic switching of the play from Steve allowing the wing backs to pour forward in the space. This fashioned numerous opportunities in open play as well as several short corners. The Vets keeper was at his best, making three or four top class saves to push the ball round the post. City won a few short corners but aside from that the threat was snuffed out.

At half time captain Menzies stressed the need to stick to the gameplan of moving the ball around at pace and the goal would come. City started the second half quite well but ill discipline got the better of them and South re-asserted their dominance. Midway into the half a strong run from the (according to Tom Anns) “dashingly handsome in the rain” Hockley gave him some space in the D. Jim, not only handsome but modest as well, unselfishly moved the ball back to the marauding Williams, who slotted a trade-MARK finish into the bottom corner. One-nil South! It was apt that these two had combined for the goal, as Mark himself had made a great pass (the best of his career) to Jim five years earlier in the form of the 1s’ captaincy, the success of Wych had started in its own crushing victory over the Vets. It felt like déjà vu, except with less hair all round.

Although they perhaps should have added to their lead, South saw out the half with relatively little danger, defending brilliantly as a team from back to front, meaning that in goal Mike had no saves of note to make. Menzies in particular showed he had learnt a lot during his time at the Perse with a green card of his own, a “tactically astute” one apparently which was crucial to seeing out the clean sheet and with it the three points. Well done all, can’t wait for the four hour round trip next week.