The 2nds travelled to Ely with a strong side, in high hopes of a first away win of the season. After weathering some early Ely pressure the signs looked even more promising, when South's first coherent attack drew a short-corner. From this, a good clean routine between John Benedikz and Raph Mis drew a solid block from the Ely keeper. Alex Pooles reacted sharpest to the loose ball and his finish was calmness personified, lifting the ball into the far corner.

After this promising start, however, South were unable to keep things going, and quickly conceded an equaliser. Slack midfield passing saw the defence caught out of position, and Ely worked a nice move to give their dangerous centre-forward the space to sweep home.

Following this, the game took and end-to-end characteristic, with Alex Pooles and Raph Mis tormenting the home defence, and the Ely centre forward's alertness causing problems for the visitors. Towards the end of the half, South broke through again, when Stu Creed's driven free hit from the right wing brought another block from the Ely keeper, only for the ball to drop onto Andy Lewis's stick, and he smashed home from close range.

The second half would eventually prove to be the tale of two penalty flicks.

But it started in less dramatic fashion, though still highly positive for South, as they went looking for a killer third goal. The closest things being one sweeping move down the left involving Mis, Lewis and Johnson, which eventually saw the Ely keeper half-block Mis's shot, and the defence smuggle the ball away. Another, from a short corner routine, saw Lewis get space for a shot, only for the keeper again to block.

Unfortunately South then shot themselves in the foot. A ball into the South D was not properly cleared, due to South’s propensity to try and dribble out of trouble. The ball was stolen, worked past keeper Steve Starkie and was goalbound until it struck Andy Bleach's foot for a clear penalty flick. Ely's young flick taker sent Starkie the wrong way to bring the scores level.

With the game now back into an end-to-end phase, South went looking for the winner they felt they deserved. And with five minutes remaining more good play down the left saw another short corner won. From this, Mis's goalbound shot hit a defenders foot on the line, for another clear flick. This time it was South turn to watch in hope, but unfortunately, though Mis connected well enough, the direction was slightly out, and the ball flashed wide. Not what Raph deserved, after a fine match playmaking for the South team.

Following a late scare, when more fraility in clearing the ball early from their own D lead to a number of short corners, from which fortunately Ely failed to capitalise, South were forced to settle for a draw, in a match they could, and maybe should, have won.

On the plus side, everyone had a good game, notably the central midfield axis of Stuart Creed and Raphael Mis, who formed a partnership that bodes well for the future. Raph's intelligent prompting as playmaker just edging out the more hard-running style employed by Stu for the man-of-the-match award.

Also deserving a mention were the front two of Alex Pooles (another classy game) and Finn Johnson (made all the right runs, that goal will come soon).