It was a late, late start for South away at March, the sun already sinking by the time the game pushed back after a slight delay at 4.15pm.

From early on, it became clear than South had come for a contest but March had come for a war. Undoubted skill from the team occupying third place in the table was mixed with aggressive, physical play, repeated appealing, dissent and a general ugliness of attitude than made this easily the least enjoyable fixture of the season.

The early exchanges were closely contested, with play fairly evenly balanced. On the break though, March's midfielders showed their pace and skill to set up dangerous attacks. Their bruiser of a centre forward, who seemed to be somewhat confused between the rules of hockey and rugby, used his considerable bulk to try and bully or intimidate the South defence. He was eventually green carded for a verbal tirade at Dom Nelson after sending him crashing to the ground.

The breakthrough, when it came, was made by March and the solitary goal was all that stood between the teams at the interval. The problem for South of having three of their team already with seventy minutes in their legs from doubling up for the 3rds and 4ths earlier in the day was compounded by an injury to Neil Sneade just ten minutes into the game. A raised strike just above the knee left him with dimple marks in his quad and a steadily stiffening leg. With no substitutes, South had a defender reduced to hobbling around at the back, unable to run or cover March's attacking breaks.

This physical deficit began to take its toll in the second half, as March increasingly found space in and around South's twenty-five. March pressed home their advantage and some absentee marking, combined with good strikes from the home team, added five to their tally. The balance of play itself, meanwhile, remained remarkably even. Nick Bristowe, back from his sojourn in Germany, was working his socks off in midfield aided by returning South veteran Sanjay Agarwala. The March keeper was repeatedly called on to make a string of fine saves as Dave Aston on the left and Rob Barton and Mark Pears up front all created opportunities. To the huge frustration of South, they were unable to capitalise on these chances.

South finally got their consolation when a March foot on the line resulted in the award of a penalty flick, confidently buried by Arsenal into the side netting. The only remaining incident of note from the second period was a further green card to March for dangerous play when a player took a baseball swing at shoulder height at a ball in the air near the South twenty-five as George charged out to cover. Fortunately for George's health, the player failed to connect, before having the gall to argue with the umpire and claim his reckless behaviour was self defence!

So, a third defeat on the trot for South. Whereas the first defeat against St Neots was frustrating and the second against Rutland was encouraging, to lose to such a bunch of graceless, fouling twats as March was undoubtedly the most disappointing result of the season.

After the game, captain Kev Rowland said "That was a physical contest out there today and we couldn't match them. The importance of fresh legs on the pitch to compete in these sort of games was underlined. We'll draw a line under this one and look to get back on track with three wins to finish the season."