A strong Cambridge South 3rd team proved too much for 5NW strugglers Alford, although the away team's second half comeback caused a few nervous moments. Luckily, the healthy 5-0 half time lead proved sufficient.

All the South goals were quality efforts, started off by Stu Creed's thunderbolt from distance with John Greaves cunningly placed in front of the keeper, making him unsighted. Mark Pears followed soon after with a neat turn, dribble and shot from closer in. Mark got his second from one of many good crosses from the wings, this time from Andy Lewis, which Dan Schofield turned invitingly into his path. Dom Nelson got onto the scoresheet with the fourth goal, again from a Lewis cross to the centre forward lurking two yards out.

Rupert Espley, playing well on the left and regularly popping up in the D, rounded off the half with a thump from range.

The reshaped home defence of Glover, Oren, Dean and Clapp played excellently throughout the half, with solid tackling and purposeful distribution up, out and wide.

Alford fought back in the second half with two goals, one from a short corner and the other which saw a high scoop deflecting off Stu Creed's stick close to his face and into the net.

Fortunately, South came to terms with the Alford resurgence, marked the central playmakers better and the home team were on top by the end again, with a number of shots narrowly missing or being saved by the rather large - and rather good - Alford keeper.

This was the seasons first "double" over 5NW opposition, and will have taken the 3rds some way towards safety in this league.

The recent series of games against the top teams in 5NW were always going to be a challenge, but the improving team play and variation, coupled with the constant positive committed approach, will bear us in good stead for the run in to the final game.