EDGWARE TOWN 3 HARVESTERS NORTH 1

On a day that could charitably be described as 'blustery' the boys took the low road to Edgware Town (in Bushey - OK still think that's a bit weird) to play a team they had handily defeated a few weeks before. Edgware, though, as we know, put the mercury into mercurial. When we turned up, we were greeted by a large pool of standing water near the centre circle suggesting that unless we had Tom Daley to hand we were going to find it difficult with our lads standing as tall on average as one of Santa's elves and Edgware's centre forward looking like he had just climbed down a beanstalk and was keen to get his goose back.

As unfortunately is our wont, we started slowly and were 1-0 down very swiftly as we backed off the aforementioned titan who slammed the ball past Josh. The first half was quite scrappy but there was no doubt that Edgware were the better team and deserved their lead at the break.

We went two down after 5 minutes or so of the second half and the clarion call went up to remember last week's stirring fightback. In fairness, the boys responded. Archie, Sam, Brad and George all performed manfully in defence and cut the giant off at the ankles in the second half reducing him to stamping around muttering dastardly words under his breath. Oscar and Stan started running the midfield and Eddie kept up a stream of superbly entertaining banter with the makeshift referee who seemed intent on letting the game flow even when that involved one of our boys getting bundled over from behind like a sack being thrown onto the sleigh.

As we pressed with 5 minutes left there was a goalmouth scramble, Sam forced the ball in and we were back in it. Tails were up and it could have gone either way. An unfortunate third goal conceded when the ball got stuck in the boggy ground and didn't reach Josh put a flattering gloss on the scoreline for the home team, but again the boys should be proud of their battling approach and could easily have rescued something from this encounter.

Brad was adjudged MOM for a spirited display up front in the first half and then showed similar pluck when forced into defence in the second half after Sam sustained an injury.