This was built up as a must win game for Southbank as they faced the side who where joint bottom in this early six pointer.  Once again the focus was taken off the football as Player/Manager Marc Osbourne was left frantically trying to find a Goalkeeper and a Referee in time for the big kick off.   Other players being unavailable saw the spine of the team in tatters. Dave Rogers was missing through a knee injury, Hanky was out due to work commitments (battering some illegal immigrants), Charlie was taking a well deserved rest in the New Forest after his exploits in goal, and Jim had decided to take in the Brazil V Jamaica game after moving to Leicester the previous week.  Despite numerous phone calls and offers of cash to referees no one could be found to handle this potentially explosive game.  So with kick off only minutes away Player/Manager and qualified referee (well 10 years ago) Marc "Colinna" Osborne took charge of the game.  This left another huge hole in the Southbank midfield.

The management decided to continue with the 5-3-2 formation which saw some excellent football being played the previous week, despite the end result. A few enforced player changes made it a harder task than maybe this game should have been but the initial signs were encouraging.  Welsh Steve and skipper Andy Persaud had started well.  They won the ball easily and sprayed it around like the seasoned pro's they are.  Guppy was playing in the hole that was left by OZ and, although it was a big hole to fill, Guppy managed it with ease.  Harvey and Malcolm were industrious up front, causing the Caversham Town's defence all kinds of problems, whilst at the back the three centre halves looked comfortable with the willing support of the wing backs who where again full of running. Darren, standing in as the third goal Keeper in as many weeks, looked at ease taking some early crosses, and the signs were even more encouraging when Malcolm Viduka broke the deadlock in the 6^th minute. A short throw-in left the Caversham Town keeper stranded whilst Viduka coolly intercepted it, rounded the keeper, and calmly slotted the ball in from a narrow angle.

The game was an end to end affair for the next 25 minutes as both teams struggled to put there foot on the ball.  Caversham Town had some dangerous corners which were well defended as a team, whilst Southbanks best efforts came from free kicks on the edge of the area.  One was taken by Malc, who was brimming with confidence, and the other was a lack luster effort from Guppy. Neither troubled the Caversham Town keeper! As the half come to an end Caversham were taking advantage of the wind and were a contestant threat to the resolute Southbank defence for whom Ben Neo and Mickey T where doing a stirling job.  So at half time Southbank went in with a 1-0 lead.

The team talk was centred around keeping the ball for longer periods whilst competing more in midfield and not conceding an early goal.

Again it was a fairly even opening to the second half with Caversham Town looking for a way back into the game and Southbank looking to get their passing game going. But alas in the 53rd Minute Caversham Town got an equaliser from a corner. Southbank failed to clear the initial cross and the resulting second ball.  Within 60 seconds Southbank were back in front as the Caversham keeper handled a back pass that the referee had no hesitation in giving!  Neo drove the ball into the centre where the industrious captain Andy Persaud smashed home the volley from just six yards out! This shook Caversham And Southbank should have gone on to win from this position.  However, games turn on defining moments, and this game turned when a poor goal kick landed at striker Ian Harvey's feet.  With just the keeper to beat it looked like a certain third, and killer goal, but the keeper came out on top and managed to palm the ball away. His save landed straight in the path of the on rushing Everest who drilled the ball towards an open goal only to be denied by a brilliant recovering save from the keeper.  The resulting corner was cleared and the danger passed for Caversham.

As the game entered the latter stages, fitness was starting to tell, and it wasn’t good news for The ‘Bank.  Welsh took another knock on his ankle and was becoming increasingly frustrated, Harvey was tiring up front and so John Pugh was bought on to pep up the attack. Russ, after a great first half, looked like the lack of games was catching up with him and so the pressure began to mount as Caversham gained in confidence.  The second equaliser in the 70th minute once again resulted in Southbank not being able to defend from a corner and Darren was left stranded when the ball was lashed past him. Both teams had further opportunities but it was Caversham who looked the more dangerous and eventually they sneaked the winner.  The goal came just seven minutes from time when once again the impressive Darren had no chance in the Southbank goal.  Fully came the closest to scoring when he headed the ball against the bar, unfortunately it was his own bar and Southbank stumbled towards their fifth defeat in six games. Time ticked away whilst Caversham kept the ball in Southbanks half and as the final whistle was blown you could see the delight in their faces whilst Southbanks players were understandably solumn.

Player/Manager Marc Osborne was delighted with his teams effort and application, but very disappointed with the options left open to him and very frustrated and not being able to take part in such a big game. However the league shaping up to be a very close affair and Southbank are only 1 point adrift of last years total at the same stage last year.  Osbourne said “once we get are first win, we are capable of climbing the table. Quite frankly this is the worst league of teams I have ever seen, and it's hard to except we are bottom of the league.”

Team: Rackley, Lobato, Simove, Fullbrook, Neo, Tappern, Guppy, Bigham, Persaud, Harvey (Pugh), Everest