Cambridge South 2nds, sponsored by PwC, have finally registered our first league win, seeing off fellow strugglers St Ives.

South had started the stronger team, and the ball barely left the St Ives half for the opening five minutes. We had come close to taking the lead from a short, Eliot's drive finding the net, only for the umpires to rule the goal out on a technicality (they questioned Eliot's patience in waiting for the ball to get into the circle before shooting!).

Having weathered the early South storm with no damage, St Ives began to mount counter-attacks down the South flanks. This stretched the game, and it was from a counter of South's own that they went in front. The ball found it's way to Rob Barton in the circle. He was closed out for a front stick shot, but worked himself to an angle for a trademark reverse stick sweep, which went through a crowd of legs to nestle in the bottom corner.

The lead was doubled soon afterwards, with a very neat goal. Right back Leo Tomita picked up a loose ball coming out of the St Ives circle. His fired cross from the right touchline bisected the defenders and found Eliot Read, who swept hard and accurately at goal. Towards the end of the first half, South were really beginning to assert themselves, and played some good pressing hockey. A 2-0 lead was a fair reflection on a first half in which the visitors 'keeper had been by far the busier.

St Ives came out very strongly after the half-time whistle, and for around five minutes South found it very hard to clear their lines, with passes out of defence going straight on to white sticks. Good harrying by the defenders and midfielders prevent any really clear chances being fashioned, but even so, South 'keeper Jon Price was suddenly more involved in the game than he had been in the first period. So, when the first goal of the half came South's way, it was something of a sucker punch. A short was won, and the ball was slipped right to Rob, neatly side-stepping the St Ives runners. Rob wound up a shot towards the right post, where Simon Harper was on station in front of the 'keeper. Simon added a deflection to the ball, which gave the 'keeper no time to adjust and we were three up, with breathing space.

The goal, coming as it had against the run of play, deflated the visiting side, and the game drifted along for a while, with South looking in good control. Probing down the flanks from Gareth Peat and Stu Creed was creating good situations, but we weren't forcing enough saves out of the St Ives 'keeper, but at the other end tight marking orchestrated (loudly) by sweeper Matt Bailey was keeping the visitors similarly away from Jon P.

The game was shaken out of its reverie with ten minutes to play, when the visitors got a deserved goal. A ball in from the right had looked to be under control with Gareth H and Jon on hand, but it sprung loose and the forward was quick to poke it home. Now South's comfortable win looked under threat, and St. Ives sensed blood. A period of concerted pressure produced some short corners, and one or two very close things. However, for the second time in the match, South nipped this spell in the bud by finish off a short corner routine, this time Andy Lewis firing a clean drive into the backboard. And with that, South's first three points of the league season were secure.