FLASHY FIVES GRIND ONE OUT

The nice thing about Holcombe is it's easy to get there. You know, Chatham? Down the A2 until it becomes the M2, then turn off at Junction 3. No-one could get that wrong...

Once FOUR members of the team had extricated themselves from the Never-ending Dirt Road Into The Scary Forest™ (thanks, TomTom), the match was able to begin. Once again, the wealth of riches at the club had given the Fives a strong team, with the returning Toby bringing a warmth to the team as a whole and a preemptive bruise to Joni's legs. From the off and across the first half the Fives were dominant, playing a skilful passing game unrecognisable from previous years. Holcombe were not without weapons though, and every BOE attack foundered on the shores of their mountainous centre back. Despite the Fives' classy play, the best chances of the half were split, the Holcombe defence somehow scrambling a certain goal off the line before getting their own chance off a short corner. Damo saved well, only to be lobbed by the attacker following up, leaving Joni to clear off the line in the calm, skilful, timely and above all incredibly handsome way that only the writer of the match report really can.

Half-time, and the Fives were clearly in control. Mr Whitney made a few careful changes, but above all the instructions were simple - more of the same lads, but with scoring. And so, after continual waves of pressure, the goal finally came, Toby and Ross both simultaneously setting up a goal-mouth scramble, with Stu H getting the final touch to force it home.

From then on, the Fives kept control, a performance described as "incredible" by the Holcombe umpire. While the points were richly deserved, the game could have gone in a very different direction on another day - we could have had 4 or 5, but we equally could have lost. Another excellent team performance. Notwithstanding, Holcombe have a talented young side, and the reverse should be a tasty fixture!

MoM: James "The Wall" Smith - nothing getting past him, never anything less than icy calm, and relentless in turning defense into attack.

Thanks to both Holcombe umpires, who did a great job and kept an at-times feisty game running smoothly with 22 players on the pitch.