“All right, we fuckin' did it!”. This game was the classic six-pointer, a match that both sides could ill-afford to lose. On the back of a four game losing streak South, really had their backs against the walls; it was time to stand up and be counted.

Even when you think there's nowhere to hide there's always statistics; before the match started we'd played six games and five of those were against the teams now sitting in the top five of the league (and breaking away from the rest of the division). A third of their collective defeats had been at our hands.

We knew that this was a game we needed to win if we wanted to make a good go of staying up this season and for only the second time we played well in the first half. Cheggers and Mikey dominated the centre of the park, making good use of the ball. Eliot and Tim provided width in midfield (with Finn coming on for Tim midway through the half) and their energy and work rate were excellent. Forrest and Snetler provided the… ahem… firepower upfront and although we didn't always manage to find the quality in the final pass there was plenty of pressure on the home team goal. It seemed only a matter of time before a goal would come.

At the other end of the pitch, the South backline was providing good support for the midfield. Ron was making his league debut for the team and was solid and assured at left back, and he and Rob Hay were both giving good support for the attacks down the wings. And with the Wallace-Thorpey central defensive partnership working so well again, Cheggers will have a selection dilemma next weekend; is there room in the defence for the returning players…?

Finally a goal arrived, but against the run of play it was the home side that took the lead. With possibly their first shot on target of the match, St Neots managed to find the back of the net after South failed to clear their back lines (though the defence would probably appreciate my pointing out that the midfield were slightly slack in getting back - sorry guys). It was but a momentary lapse, though, and South were soon back on the attack and on the stroke of half time the equaliser came from a short corner. Cheggers fires in the shot, Wallace with the deflection into the roof of the net.

Short corners were something that the team had specifically been working on in training the previous Tuesday and, frankly, you wouldn't have guessed. Admittedly things went quite well once we actually managed to get the ball to the top of the D, but as Mikey pointed out afterwards in the changing rooms "the first 6 inches is always the hardest". Anyway, two goals and a flick came from our shorts so not entirely bad.

1-1 at half time and all to play for. The last time we were level at this stage was… well, quite a while ago I'm sure. Normally it's game over by the time the South 1st team reaches the interval. And so we just required the usual second half performance (all guns blazing, please) for the victory.

And it was all going to plan if it weren't for some wretched luck. Mikey scores, but the goal is disallowed. A penalty flick is awarded but Wallace has it saved. Then St Neots have the temerity to go and score! Such cheek! The clock was ticking down so it was time to go back to basics – route one hockey. A 50 yard dash from the half way line from Forrest and the cross is dispatched by Snetler. A second sprint up the pitch from said striker and we've got a short corner in the final minute of the game. And after all the practice we'd had, it was about time we managed a slick short-corner routine (we probably had 10 shorts in the game). Out to Cheggers, slip right to Forrest then back inside for Cheggers to slot home.