It’s not for any old reason Cambridge South HC is known for being the “nice” club in Cambridge. On a morning brimming with ups and downs, the M2’s served up a charitable feast for the viewer. Looking up for it and ready against the bookie’s favourites in the relegation battle, the M2’s flew off the blocks with the weathered, Arctic explorer Jack Humby (returning from defending Greenland against JD Vance) making a mazing run into the opposition D and shooting only for the alert Jonny-on-the-spot, Jack Murphy, to stroke home an early 3rd minute rebound goal - majestically and imperiously.

The storm surge continued with a good spell of dominance, rewarded with a short corner, City 3’s defending well initially but for a slipped through ball to an unprepared (hungover-looking, some might say) Gando giving him space for a bobbled shot which the batsman Ash K capitalised on, cutting the ball through to 3rd Man - aka the City goal.

Shortly before half-time, Jacko got in on the goals from a penalty corner to cap off a fine half from what everyone can agree is just a generally lovely, nice bunch of fellas. So nice in fact, that during the half-time team talk the Captain must have reminded them of their obligation to be the nicest team in Cambridge as what followed was one of the most altruistic, generous halves of hockey we have ever gifted an opponent. 

Serving up a lovely treat for City, we used the following recipe:

- A dash of some of the most wince-worthy, “disgusting” (quote, verbatim - Jim Hockley, Captain) tackles from John West earning him a green card.

- 100g of allowing their midfielders to waltz through our inners and screens, mixed in a large bowl with a barrage of short corners.

- Allowed to raise in the bowl, test readiness by being totally inept at defending some of those short corners.

- Add a pinch of Jack Murphy attempting to clear a ball trickling through George Toynton’s pads and managing to sweep home one (own?) goal - I guess it was on target, I just helped it on it’s way.

- Pop in the oven for 20 final minutes of proper Gando action, including a goal which I can’t remember but which turned out to be crucial in clinching it, but more importantly a fine performance of running down the clock, worthy of an Oscar - replete with accidental mistraps of the ball on multiple occasions while preparing for our long corners, before finally passing it to the opposition striker, undoing his fantastic prior work.

M2’s held on to triumph but just couldn’t help being so nice to both City and the audience, putting on an absolute show. Overall, the strong first half was enough and the M2’s continue their charge up the mid-table ladder, taking the positives from this victory into a series of matches against basically every team below us in the league, followed by two finale matches against the top 2.