Vets 1 entered Gameweek 7 with 7 points already on the board. To put that in perspective, 7 points was our entire points haul in the 2012-2013 season and one point more than we amassed on our last visit to the top Vets division in 2015-2016.

A strong 14-man squad was entered in the tablet, confident of pushing on up the table. Goalois, an experienced 6A team with a very talented Nr 10, provided the opposition.

The start of the game was relatively even with the teams sizing each other up and neither committing too many to attack. Griffiths had a couple of early sniffs from distance, the first after lovely back and forth interplay with Moreuil. Their nr10 also had a pair of early long-range efforts the second of which went out for a throw in. He cursed the Rosieres grass and he wasn’t entirely wrong. Vets 1 were also struggling with some heavy touches in the centre of the uneven park, allowing Goalois to grow in to the game.

The two key moments of the half came in its final minutes. First, their lanky centre-forward got in behind Christensen and Ledbury for the only time in the opening 35 minutes. He took his time, hoping to commit Sejersen, but as he dinked the ball up and towards the far corner the great Dane stuck up a strong arm and scooped the ball to safety. Not long afterwards, Vets 1 won a direct free-kick on the edge of the Goalois box. Legere struck a peach towards the bottom corner, which their keeper somehow managed to get across to but he knocked it straight out to the onrushing Rice who turned it in with glee.

The half-time huddle was a happy one. Injured stars Hoskins and Ten Holter urged the team to stay in control and the goals would follow. Delegue O’Connor went off to the bar for the half-time water and quite possibly a cheeky Trappiste.

Vets1 were quickly in to their stride in the second half as the space began to open up. Knight had a couple of opportunities to stretch his legs before being withdrawn at his own request to allow him to get to Vorst Nationaal for Bloc Party’s reprise of Silent Alarm. Gutierrez on and the alarm bells were soon ringing for Goalois as Vets1 won a series of corners. Legere swung a beauty to the edge of the six-yard box and Rice, entirely unmarked, stooped to nod strongly past the helpless Goalois keeper.

Griffiths made way for the returning Yearsley, Criado for Cabaret, fresh legs to threaten the tiring Goalois. Before we could threaten, however, the opposition had one decent chance to get themselves back in to it but again could not find a way past Tommy when through on goal.

That chance aside, there was little drama at the back for Vets1. Belfi dominated the midfield, defence was assured and Cabaret and Salvel could venture forward from fullback. The final ten minutes saw chance after chance for the home team. Yearsley hit the side-netting, Moreuil dribbled the entire defence only to roll the ball with his left peg into the keeper’s grateful arms. Their keeper produced an astonishing double save at the end of the last move of the game.

Peep-peep! 10 points on the board, keep up the good work boys!

Team: - Sejersen - Criado (Cabaret), Salvel, Christensen, Ledbury - Legere, Belfi, Rice (1-0, 2-0), Knight (Gutierrez), Moreuil - Griffiths (Yearsley).

MoM & Reporter: Rice