How the Garnett C team took nothing from Saturday's game is a mystery to rival that of the disappearance of Lord Lucan and Nigerian FA's interest in Bryan Robson as their next manager. This was a game that Garnett Cs should not have been battling to take a point but one that they should have run out convincing winners.

The gulf in class was there for all to see. Armstrong Athletics quite literally had one chance, a controversial penalty, given early in the second half when Rob 'Thorpie' Thorpe made what seemed to be a fine last ditch challenge on the centre forward, yet was penalised by referee Harris. Athletico duly converted the penalty, despite mercurial goalkeeper Spence getting a hand to it. Garnett, in contrast had numerous attempts at goal and were even given the opportunity of levelling the game from the spot ten minutes from time after player-manager Wan was sent tumbling after a barnstorming run. Alas it was not to be, as Athletico's roly-poly keeper was equal to Andy Anderson's strike. To be frank, this should not have mattered.

The first half saw numerous chances go begging the best of which fell to Giles after Hart's mazy run into the box, sadly Giles blazed over the bar from seven yards. During the Second half Garnett reasserted their dominance with Murray and Giles imposing their will in midfield, which was further strengthened as Hart was replaced by Wan who slotted in on the right hand side of midfield, allowing talisman Keegan to take up a more advanced role alongside Henry Brydon. This substitution nearly had an immediate effect as Keegan lashed a shot against the angle of bar and post from an impossible angle on the left. Murray and Tom Brydon, both outstanding, also went close from the edge of the box.
It seems more than ironic that despite losing 1-0, Garnett played far better than they did the previous week when they ran out easy 8-2 winners.

Debutantes Anderson, Tom and Henry Brydon all made encouraging starts whilst the more experienced players such as Nunn, Thorpe and Allison all performed to their usual high standards, which makes the result all the more baffling. With Etan and Kelly to come back next week there is no cause for alarm though, if Garnett C maintain this level of performance throughout the season then they will certainly be in the promotion shake-up.

Team: S.Spence, A.Anderson, D.Allison, G.Dawnay, C.Nunn, R.Thorpe, B.Steele,
P.Murray (MoM), J.Hart (C.Wan), H.Brydon, T.Brydon