Southbank were down to the bare eleven for this game but were grateful to Sam Madden for dropping down from the first team to help out.

Determined not to fall behind to an early goal AGAIN manager Malcolm Everest tried a new tactic of getting his players to visualise the things that are usually needed to kick start the team into action. 

It succeeded…….in making Harvey laugh!

The game started slowly with Southbank making their usual lethargic start but not looking under any real threat from a poor Autocare side.  They almost took the lead on 15 minutes when a corner from Steve Woodrow was met with a powerful header by Everest which was clawed off the line by a combination of the goalkeeper and the defender on the post.

Southbank were getting plenty of joy down the flanks and it was this route that brought the opening goal.  Ben Neo played a long high ball into the right hand channel to Everest who took the ball down and popped it over the fullback’s head to Karl Lobato inside the box.  Lobato took a touch and knocked the ball inside to Woodrow who lashed home right-footed from 18 yards.  Football had broken out at Prospect Park!

Southbank were not playing particularly well or badly but seemed in total control – then they conceded an equaliser!

Steve Fullbrook played an airshot on the halfway line allowing an Autocare midfielder to play the ball forward.  Their centre forward got onto it quickly and lashed a thunderous drive past Harvey.

This was the last action before half time and Southbank really hadn’t started to play.

The second half followed a familiar pattern.  Southbank regained the lead on 50 minutes when Steve Woodrow’s well struck free kick went through the keeper’s hands from 20 yards.

2 – 1 soon became 3 – 1 when Ben Neo scored one of his trademark tap-ins – a right-foot volley from 15 yards that screamed past the keeper after a deep cross from Woodrow!

3 - 1 became 4 - 1 when Everest won the ball in midfield and floated a ball into the path of Woodrow.  Woodrow crossed low to the near post where Karl Lobato was waiting to notch his second goal in two games.

And 4 – 1 became 5 – 1 when Malcolm Everest did the hard work of beating the Autocare centre back before hitting a weak shot straight at the keeper.  The ball rebounded to Sam Madden who needed medical attention for the nosebleed he suffered by venturing so far up the pitch.  Madden fired a viscious shot straight at the keeper too but the ball rebounded fortunately to Everest who volleyed into the empty net.

Southbank could have won this game by a much wider margin without getting out of first gear.  And this was a team that beat us in our second game of the season.  Points dropped against sides like this will cost us medals this season – something we need to put right next year.

And finally, special mention must go to 45 year old Andy Persaud who worked very hard in midfield and Ian Harvey who was too p1ssed to kick straight!

Team: Harvey, Neo, Fullbrook, Tappern, Madden, Lobato, Hankinson, Persaud, Pugh (Storey), Everest, Woodrow