Still not our best performance but far better than the previous 2 weeks. Playmaker Mark Ridley our with injury, Matty Cooke absent but Mason and Murray returning meant a shake up in the starting 11. This was a big game and we knew that after going there and getting played off the park last year. We worked tirelessly in the first half pressuring every bit of possession Thorncliffe had. After 20 mins we went 1-0 up after hard work from Steve Johnson winning the ball in midfield , Murray beating his man and finding striker Scott Simm who laid the ball off for Karl Lang on the edge of the box for him to find the bottom corner of the net. We carried on pressing only for all of our hard work to be undone on the stroke of half time as they got an equaliser. Thorncliffe had one player in the middle of the park who could do us some damage and he did. 1-1 wasn’t a reflection of the first half but that’s what it was. In the second half we found ourselves playing downhill and wind behind which was a little easier on the old legs for us but the opposition struggled. Mason and Lang soon departed and with fresh legs on Thorncliffe couldn’t keep us out. Tireless work up front from simm and Murray on the right penned them in their own half. A long throw from Fraser which they failed to clear saw Murray find the onion bag from close range, 2-1 rosso. We had the wind in our sails and minutes later simm was beyond the last man again only to be brought down just outside the box. The writing was on the wall- straight red. Holvey stepped up to the free kick but couldn’t make them pay. The game was being played in the Thorncliffe half as we had managed to keep their no 9 quiet they had no other outlet. Once again simm in the box was wrestled to the ground and a penalty was given. Holvey stepped up again and slotted the ball home.3-1 rosso. We pressed for a 4th but great defending from Shaun Simpson saw Simm’s effort cleared off the line. Seriously he and everyone else at the match doesn’t know how he didn’t score it seemed impossible to miss. Thorncliffe pulled one back in the last minute but the game was done. 3-2 to the main and nearing the sharp end of the table.