This match didn't have the most goals or the biggest score margin of any M6s game (that was 2 weeks ago...), but it maybe has a claim to biggest success. St Ives handily beat us 3-1 in our previous encounter: even though we came into that enthused by a big win, we couldn't get past their high press and dangerous speedy frontline.

All of this came flooding back in the first few minutes, as St Ives quickly hemmed us in and tried to power through our defence with exactly the same high press pressure that worked so well last time. They were rewarded with a solid goal after only about 5 minutes of play.

Things went downhill from there as goalie Miles had to leave the pitch with a foot injury, having apparently booted the ball so hard that even keeper pads couldn't save him. Some quick slightly-confused re-planning took us up to 11 outfielders determined to keep the opposition out of our D, but knowing that it would take great effort and honestly a little luck to truly avoid any soft goals finding their way in. Credit to Shahzad for attempting to kit up as a substitute keeper, unfortunately no suitable equipment being available.

What followed was undoubtedly some of the best hockey the M6s have ever played. Every opposition run was hassled and shut down, every pass contested, every circle penetration countered by some brilliant tackles. And then the ball started to find its way back the other way, an aphoristic attack that forced the St Ives team to their half of the field and took pressure off our defence.

Everything came together in a beautiful long, wide hit from Ky, all the way down the field to Rob's eager touch. A good hard strike from the edge of the D found the net. 1-1, what a turnaround! Spirits were lifted even more as Miles made his way back to the goal a few minutes later: formation restored, quality proven, we took the match back to our opponents.

Half time was reached in high spirits as we maintained our counterattack and were able to press back the other way, but it was clear St Ives would be no pushover. Coach Jack dispensed words of wisdom about moving the ball wide to beat their formation, by no coincidence the same place our goal came from.

Everything had been building beautifully from the low point of our conceded goal, but the big risk over half time is always losing momentum, becoming pressured and falling back again. Suffice to say, that didn't happen. Everyone displayed immense energy in keeping up our own high press, giving our opposition the same treatment they wanted to dispense - I'd list everyone whose energy kept up the interceptions and tackles to keep turning the ball around, but it would just be everyone. Maybe the 16-player subs routine actually works. Of course it wasn't all one-sided but on the occasions we did concede an opportunity to St Ives, Miles didn't let injury hold him back in making some brilliant saves.

As the minutes ticked by the game slowly continued to swing in our favour, but not in a useful quantifiable way like actually scoring. The St Ives defence was strong too, and their keeper very on the ball (get it? bet nobody's used that one before). This was finally changed by chairman John finding a way to beat them via a smart deflection off a defender. 2-1!

The game finished out a tense 15 minutes where we kept up the pressure, but St Ives were never out of it and were still as dangerous as ever if we slipped up - and we did at times, conceding short corners and other shots but never conceding the most vital goal itself. Finally the whistle came...we won!

In the end a victory not just against a tough opponent but one who pressured us early, through losing our keeper, and through constant tough battling the entire rest of the match. Man of the match went to Tom Hensman for being a powerhouse of speedy defence on the right wing, but with votes broadly distributed recognising the efforts of everyone, especially Miles keeping us in it despite injury.