A reasonable display, a good grassy surface, a decent bunch of blokes which we certainly should beat in the return, providing we don’t gift them goals.

The first game of the new campaign on this very sunny and warm afternoon sees us with a bare 11 at kick-off with Alex Knott joining later after driving like a maniac at the end of his holiday to be here. We start off OK, and early assessment can see that this team are no great shakes, so it gives us some reason for optimism if we can get a bit of confidence and a bit of luck. We start off with Griff sweeping behind Maza, with new boy Donat O’Brien slotting in at right back, and David Leigh commandeering the left back slot, with the effervescent and spritely Neil Anderson between the sticks.

Griff is in fine form straight from the off, marshalling the defence with his customary verbal coaching, while also showing the arrogant confidence he has in his ability by bringing the ball down in tight situations, and playing good sensible balls to people in space, and if we are to succeed then this will play a major part in it. In saying this, we are playing a lot of football in our own half, with the back 4 not getting much passed their 18 yard line, but we seem to be mopping up well.

Inevitably they manage to get behind us and as Neil comes out, their front man manages to lob him to go 1 up after 15 minutes. We are beginning to get forward a bit more, and a nice through ball sees Dartnell burst through but their keeper rushes out to clear. Another good move down the right between Tremant and Currie, sees Ali get in a powerful shot from a difficult angle, but it goes too high.

We then get punished for sloppy play at the back, that allows there forward to get in a good shot which he should have scored, but Neil manages to block, however with both them on the ground the forward manages to get lucky, and the ball trundles over to make it 2-0. I guess we can't complain about being behind, but the manner of us losing the goals is probably hurting us more. We are however denied a penalty, when their man handles the ball well inside the box, but the ref decides to give us a free kick outside the box. Amazing, but not unexpected.

Alex, has now arrived, so we make a switch directly at half time for Chris Dartnell,which sees Peter Tremant move up to help Ali Currie up front. We start off strongly and push them back for a short spell, with Roosen now getting involved more, and growing in confidence. Currie and Tremant are linking up well and we are getting closer to getting something on target.

Again, we shoot ourselves in the foot, as it seems we are mopping every up well, and a through ball sees their centre forward and Maza running towards it, with Neil coming out to meet it, and there is a collision, and their players slots it into an empty net to make it 3-0.

Donnelly then uses his tactical know how to change things, and has noticed that Griff has become quiet at the back probably due to fatigue in gathering his brother around, so Donnelly moves both of them forward to try and prise open their defence. He also moves O’Brien forward to use his athletiscm in storming down the right wing, while moving Hughie back into a defensive role. It proves to be a masterly piece of tactical genius from this mercurial jock, as a good passing movement between several players sees Donnelly split their defence for Currie to latch on to and slot past their keeper to make it 3-1.

There is still about 15 minutes to go, and this team are now fading fast, and we have the momentum. And again good interplay sees Donnelly slot through a great ball for Alex to run on to, and although he hits a good shot, the keeper saves it, but Ali Currie is there to tap it home. 3-2, and the home team are in turmoil, and Donnelly should have done better from 20 yards out, where he tried again to play someone in, instead of shooting. What a tosser.

Eventually its all too late, and the ref blows for full time, but we have come back well and should feel good, as we head towards getting some liquid replenishments on this hot afternoon. A reasonable display, a good grassy surface, a decent bunch of blokes which we certainly should beat in the return, providing we don’t gift them goals.

MOM: Patrick Roosen

REPORTER: Jim Donnelly