The seconds made the relatively short trip to Catford looking to gain revenge for a Cup defeat earlier in the season against opponents City of London. The team had a strong look to it on paper and boasted a sub for only the second time since October, matching the number of times that the team has turned up with just ten men in that same period. Welcome returns to the side were made by Jon and Nunes, the former slotting into the centre midfield slot created by Mulley’s absence with the latter starting on the bench.

The game got under way in encouraging fashion for St Mary’s with the away side looking to get the ball down and play at every opportunity and quickly snuffing out any danger that the home side posed. St Mary’s were looking dangerous down the flanks with Spider and Dillan creating plenty of problems for their full backs. The breakthrough almost came as Jones was sent through with the keeper rushing out to block at his feet, he was unable to hold the ball though and eventually it broke to Warwick who skewed his shot just wide of the goal.

It wasn’t long before Mary’s grasped the lead though as more good work from Spider down the left allowed him to roll the ball back to Matt who sent a hanging ball into the area which the keeper spilled and, after a brief melee between Rich, post and keeper, the ball trickled over the goal line for Rich’s first goal in only his second match of the season. The seconds should have been two up moments later as Warwick was released down the right by Ed’s quickly taken free kick and he fired across the 6 yard line perfectly for the arriving Spider only to see his header fly wide. Warwick again broke through the defence towards the end of the half, riding a couple of heavy challenges in the penalty area and rolled the ball across the edge of the six-yard box for Jones, only to see the keeper get finger tips to the ball at full stretch to deny him the simplest of tap-ins.

The game threatened to turn nasty towards the end of the half, with dubiously timed tackles flying in from both sides not punished with yellow cards that seemed to give a license for the tackles to continue. Chris in goal was barely called into action the entire half as the defensive unit of Ben, Joey, Matt and Ed were brilliantly stifling any City of London attacks early.

The half-time team talk focused on not getting involved with the increasingly aggressive nature of the game but to concentrate on playing football and taking one of the many chances that we were creating. This seemed to work as once again Mary’s dominated possession and territory with Jon and Rich particularly impressive in the centre of the park winning every 50/50 that came their way and indeed winning other balls that they had no right to get near. Nunes, having come on for the injured Deeljur, and Jones were linking well together up front and getting plenty of support from the midfield.

Then came the moment that should have sealed the match as Jon went on a powerful run past three players and having knocked the ball past the fourth was brutally upended in the box with the referee immediately pointing to the spot with no complaints from the opposition. Ed sprinted faster than he had done the whole game to that point to claim the ball and take the penalty. It was well struck down the middle but the keeper had stayed big and managed to get a strong palm to it to lift it over the bar.

This signalled a shift in momentum as City of London seemed to start believing that they could get something out of a game that they had been thoroughly outclassed in. They almost got back on level terms as their nippy striker managed to break free following a Mary’s corner and was only denied by a magnificent one-on-one stop from Chris. A succession of set pieces and Delap-esque long throws were delivered into the box by the home side but Chris was in his element dealing with them with safe hands. Then came the equaliser with about a quarter of an hour to go. A free kick some 25 yards out was struck goalwards and bounced just in front of Chris who fumbled the ball only to seemingly re-grasp it just as the striker bundled into him studs first. The ball broke free and the home side tapped in to draw level leaving Chris to pick the ball out of the net with 2 long gashes on his leg courtesy of the striker’s studs.

Mary’s then re-found their dominance and exerted pressure of their own culminating in gaining a free kick of their own 25 yards out. Warwick stepped up and sent the ball over the wall and seemingly into the net only for the keeper to pull out a brilliant last ditch stop, he couldn’t hold the effort though and Jon was following up and easily managed the task of tapping home to restore St Mary’s lead. Mary’s didn’t sit back this time and continued to search for a game-killing goal as the game once again looked to turn nasty with Rich in particular putting in a few fiery challenges. Warwick found himself through on goal with the chance to finish the game, but his effort sliced off his shinpad and past the right hand post with the goal gaping. The Tangerines managed to hold out fairly comfortably for the rest of the game with Joey and Ben winning everything in the air and Chris mopping up anything that got past them.

This was a thoroughly deserved win that should have been with a more convincing scoreline. With City of London coming to Hall Place for the return fixture next week, however, there needs to be a guard against complacency. Against both Seds and Dorks we won the first fixtures comfortably before failing to pick up 3 points in the return legs so hopefully that trend can be stopped. With performances like this one though that shouldn’t be a problem…