Live music, cheerleaders, temporary stands and portable bars. Saturday night lights was on its way to College Meadow. That was, until Bojos rule of 6 and a malicious movement towards Tier 2 left the 1st XI dreaming of a raucous crowd hurling pints into the air a la World Cup 2018. The saturday and socially distanced ultras would have to do...

The first half began at a high pace with the home side firmly on top winning short corners as the ball fizzed past either post. Not all went smoothly when two cards disrupted the rhythm of the game. First, Ed Bull saw Green whilst stopping a dangerous counter attack before Charlie Spellers handbags led to yellow. The boys coped well when down to 10 and never looked in danger of conceding thanks to Lewis Burnhams tenacious desire to put his body in front of the ball when Accies did eventually win two short corners. Back to a full complement, Chris Harden had the ball in the back of the net. A neat 1-2 off the top was harshly judged to have been hit rather than pushed and the teams went in at 0-0, a slightly disappointing spectacle for the patient audience.

The team knew there was more to come and came out firing on all cylinders from minute 36. Ian Harvey found some inspirational form to carry the ball at pace regularly beating multiple men before having the audacity to hit a tomahawk from a seemingly impossible angle to make it 1-0. Accies resolve had been tested and soon 1 would become 2. Harden, not to be outdone, showed determination and strength to win and then outwit the opposition defenders, leaving them with no option but to take him down and win a penalty flick which gave Harvey his second of the game. All looked rosy but the match was back in the balance as a short corner was scrambled in to quickly make it 2-1. The nerves were jangling but neither Ed Bull nor Marcus Wilson let it show as they put in a series of outstanding intercepts and tackles to shut down any prospects of a second away goal before Harden's resolute attitude paid dividends once again as he fired towards the back post where Prem Mwahara was happy to oblige and steal another goal for the season. With five minutes on the clock, a harsh second yellow reignited the contest but Blackheath were not to be flustered and saw the game to the end. A cagey 3-1 win that showed a lot of courage and an impressive desire to win.

Most importantly, an early sniff of the top of the table. A perfect start for the 1st XI but plenty of improvements to be made if that position is to be maintained. A home fixture against Purley awaits at 11:45 next Saturday with the only bad news being potential injuries to Tom Archer and Stephen Roche which Nikki eagerly awaits further news on