A chilly November afternoon, RBBFC1 line up to face this week's opponents, and you could just tell, like last week, these boys were pumped-up and had something to prove. It's been said before, but it's a fact, defending a Championship is hard, everyone desperately wants to beat you, today was no different.

The game kicked off and the sparring began, the opposition could play a bit. They started at a high-tempo and looked composed. Just before kick-off Postman Sam Lambrecht had jogged up to me and told me that he had initiated a tactical switch in midfield, he gave me a wink and jogged off again before I had time to ask... It didn't take too long to work out. He was everywhere, the opposition looked comfortable in their own half, but the moment they tried to knock it into the centre of the pitch Sammy was harrying them and breaking up their attacks by whatever means necessary.

Then....the ball broke to Lamarra about 35 yards from goal, he got his head down and ran at them, their tall lumbering defenders were backtracking as Stevey sped towards them. Before they even thought about putting in a challenge, Lamarra rifled a shot into the bottom right hand corner. We all felt a sense of relief, 1 Up - Game On.

We weren't having it all our own way though, these boys were determined. The battle in midfield raged on, our defense marshalled by Mike Wright-Elliot and Jonny 5 were doing the business. They kept it tight and as the first half progressed Rich and Didi began joining in the attacks.

Then 'All Hell Broke Loose', Lamarra had gone up for an aerial challenge with one of their centre backs, a fellow Italian coincidently, Stevey won the dual, and as we were going in to win the second ball, their boy let out a shrill cry, we turned round to see a bit blood running down his face from cut beneath his eye. Their lot lost the plot and their coach barked louder then most of them.

When things eventually settled down and we re-started, we could tell they had come down with the fever, they were rabid, two footed challenges were flying in, the worst of which threatened to take Jonny 5 out the game. Fortunately he escaped with a stud mark on his shin-pad.

The ref had lost control, and so had their chief trainer on the sidelines, he kept barking and barking, it must have gone on for 10 straight minutes before the ref thought - enough is enough and walked over to the diminutive coach, showed him a red and told him to head off. I think even their lot breathed a sigh of relief as the dejected little fellow began the long walk round to the other side of the pitch.

"Anyone fancy getting on with the game?"

The whistle for half-time sounded shortly afterwards and we trudged towards our spot on the sideline to have a drink and re-group. J McGrath signalled that Stevey was coming off straight away and Endre would be coming on as a flying full-back while Rich would move up into his preferred position in the middle of the park. "The first chance he gets, he's going to send you off" - Coach McGrath said to Steve, everyone nodded except Steve who looked miffed.

Before kick off the two Captains were called in for a short lecture from the ref, he asked us to please stop the nonsense and get on with the game, their captain still wasn't having any of it and whined throughout the conversation.

The whistle sounded for the second period to begin, step forward Michele Vadora. Again and again, he kept pulling the ball down out of the sky, and putting his foot on it. The opposition's challenges were still flying in, but that was alright by Micky, a little faint here, a little drop of the shoulder there and they were gone, which gave him the time and space he needed to start controlling the show.

With about 20 minutes to play we were still one up, Billiet as usual was tormenting everyone around him with his speed & strength, powering down the line on numerous occasions and was unlucky not have put as further ahead.

Then... a move began down our right side, Endre slipped the ball to Micky, who beat the first man, and flicked it into McGrath who with one touch volleyed it back to him, the move was on, Michele then scooped the ball over their defensive midfielder for Nils who took it on his chest between their centre-halves and as the ball came down Billiet appeared and thundered a volley into the top right hand corner. Get. In. There.

BOOM - 2-0. Thank you very much for a lovely game of football.

Not quite.

Their captain still had the chance to spank a great volley in to make the last couple of minutes uncertain. But we saw it out, another 3 points on the board.

Lineup

Mercelis

McGeehan / Mojena / Wright / Lebbink Lamarra (Amdunsen) / Vadora / Lambrechts Hodgson (Legere) / McGrath / Billiet

MOM: Vadora

Reporter: Nils McGrath