Cambridge South's mean machine took just eleven minutes to malfunction in the face of a lively Bourne team. After over four hours without letting top-flight opposition find the net, Div 4NW's most parsimonious rearguard were opened up after a cross from the left wing found an unmarked Bourne defender at the far post. Andy Bleach's last ditch tackle wasn't enough to prevent the inevitable.

For a team prowling the summit of the table and fighting a strong battle with March, the immediate response was somewhat tepid. South gradually fought their way into the game but they struggled to create any clear cut opportunities at all and it was the home side that were looking the more likely to score. Fortunately, Steve Parker was in inspirational form in the South goal and the score line was kept respectable.

The second half saw South dominating possession as Bourne appeared content to just sit back and form a blockade round their D. South pressed and created a number of half-chances, but didn't find the luck required to break past the Bourne keeper. Indeed, they were indebted to some smart stops from Parker as Bourne broke from defence and ran through on goal on two occasions.

Before the match Bourne lay at the foot of the table and it certainly wasn't the same side that South faced in the reverse fixture (where South ran out comfortable 7-0 winners). This was the first time in nineteen matches that the South front line had failed to find the back of the net and this was after they'd hit a lacklustre March 3rds for eleven the previous week.

Still, looking on the bright side, the showers afterwards were warm and the post-match teas weren't too bad. Sandwiches and chips this time, with a bit of footy on the telly. The Bourne players were quite nice, too, and to be honest Market Deeping isn't as bad as I thought it might be. Who said winning the league was all that mattered?

Captain Chris Baker was philosophical in defeat, "We didn't play badly, but it just wasn't our day in front of goal". Vice Captain Robert Garrett was upbeat about the season's prospects "Our destiny is still in our own hands. We're six points clear of third place and if we can beat March on the last day of the season then we can still finish top."

Elsewhere in the East brought this intriguing story; North Walsham, the bottom side of Division 2N, with a previous record of played 16, lost 16, scored 11, conceded 119, chose this Saturday to secure a shock 5-3 victory over Bourne 2nd XI…