It is not often that Reevaldo constitutes a metaphor for life, but on this cold winter's Sunday morning, the Walsall Wizard's Tier 38 van supplied a depressingly accurate analogy for the performance of the Logica football team.

Having handed over his three English pounds (including VAT) for the hire of his journeyman jalopy, the hackneyed Hackney hack probably set off for Raynes Park in optimistic mood. Indeed, the first half of his day's journey went according to plan. If the van was not exactly firing on all cylinders, it was at least doing a job and Reevaldo arrived at his destination as planned; much as Logica rarely got out of second gear in cruising to a 4-1 interval lead against bottom of the table Arab Boys.

From this point onwards, however, Logica's performance went as flat as the hole-merchant's rear tyre, and it was not long before the wheels came off altogether as the visitors pulled the score back to 4-4. Twice Logica received a lift in the form of goals to restore their lead, but these short-lived periods of ascendancy proved as stable as the Reeves-mobile tottering precariously atop Skippy's jack. Finally it was plain incompetence that inevitably resulted in the wheels coming off again, as Arab Boys twice equalised to gain their first point of the season.

It never rains, but it pours. In many ways this result was worse than the 10-0 humiliation at the hands of Pump House that preceded it. Arab Boys were relatively poor opposition, as their league record suggested they would be, and having achieved a sizeable interval advantage, Logica should in no way have surrendered two points to the divisional whipping boys. That the disaster was largely of their own making courtesy of a succession of defensive blunders, makes the dropped points even harder to stomach. Even the absence of quality players such as Gautam, Wood, Trovato, Hatton Major and Jon Clarke can in no way excuse this poor result.

A tentative start by the home side gave the visitors an unaccustomed sense of optimism. After causing mayhem in the Logica rearguard from a couple of corners, Arab Boys duly took the lead. It was Abbott who gave away possession in midfield with a sloppy pass, and the ball was worked forward before a speculative long range shot arced over Fleming in goal and just under the bar (0-1).

This turned out to be the wake-up call that Logica needed, and they quickly responded with some competent attacking play down both flanks. Chances were created, and Craig Taylor came closest to scoring when, after robbing a dallying defender, his powerful low shot was brilliantly tipped around the post by the Boys' keeper. An equaliser did eventually arrive, and from an unlikely source as well. Mainwaring was the instigator, intercepting the ball and playing an accurate long pass to the feet of Banoub. The Boro-man's first-time lay off rolled perfectly into the path of Abbott, who raced clear and struck a clinical finish just inside the post as if scoring goals was second nature to him (1-1).

Logica had the measure of their opponents now, and scored three further goals before the break to emphasise their superiority. Another well executed break down the right flank resulted in some penalty box pin-ball, but after Taylor's close range effort was blocked, Matt Denyer showed a cool head to control the rebound and carefully pick his spot through a crowded goal-mouth (2-1). A third goal arrived courtesy of Taylor's prestigious long throw. Abbott rose at the near post to head on, and there was Reevaldo ghosting in at the back stick unmarked to head home from close range (3-1). Straight from the resultant kick-off, Logica added an excellent fourth. Abbott anticipated and intercepted a weak pass, before advancing and executing the most delicate of left-foot lobs from 25 yards over a stranded keeper (4-1). It could have been ten years ago - Abbott in his youthful pomp - and will bring a nostalgic smile to the lips of those who thought they'd never see the classic Abbott lob ever again.

The interval was filled with much talk of the dangers of complacency, and although Logica failed to achieve the same fluidity after the break, they remained in control initially. Indeed they could have added a fifth goal, when Banoub controlled a difficult ball in an instant and threaded a perfect pass into the path of Hoyland. The Sheffield greyhound was out of the traps and clear, but with just the keeper to beat he steered his low shot a foot wide of the post.

Supremo Groom then committed the cardinal sin of making a substitution whilst defending a dangerous set-piece. Kiran Amin was brought on for his debut in place of Paul Banoub, with Hoyland moving up front. However, this schoolboy error could in no way be blamed for the Arab's second goal. The free-kick was hit so perfectly round the wall and right into the top corner, that Fleming had absolutely no chance (4-2).

As is often the way, this strike out of nothing changed the course of the game. Suddenly Logica's hitherto solid back line began to wobble inexplicably, and Arab Boys grabbed their lifeline with both hands. Logica had already escaped a number of panicky penalty box moments when they gifted the visitors a third. Again, Logica failed to clear a cross into the box, and when the ball was deflected towards full-back Jez Brown, he sliced his attempt at a volleyed clearance over both his and Fleming's head and into his own net (3-4). Arab Boys had initially needed all the help they could get, and now they had it. An equaliser quickly followed after Logica failed to cut out a breakaway move, and the Boys' striker slotted home past an on-rushing Fleming (4-4).

Amidst all this comedy capitulation, there were some bright spots that will doubtless provide some consolation for Groom as he mulls over this disappointing performance in the Snug bar of the Latchmere. Matt Denyer was the biggest plus point, playing an absolute blinder in his first start of the season. Paired in central midfield with Craig Taylor, Denyer showed a terrier-like quality from start to finish, chasing, tracking down, and generally giving no member of the opposition any time on the ball. The youngster also demonstrated a level of fitness that indicates that their might be something in this jogging malarkey after all. Allied to all this was a good footballing brain, consistently accurate passing, and no little amount of skill - attributes best exemplified by his coolly taken and well deserved goal.

The other bonus was debutante Kiran Amin, who came on for the last twenty minutes or so playing on the right side of midfield. Clearly a talented footballer, Amin showed plenty of pace, skill and the ability to beat defenders in tight situations. One dazzling run down the right left two defenders in his wake, but Amin still showed a cool head in looking up and picking out a low cross that both Abbott and Hoyland somehow contrived to evade. It was Amin's intelligence on the ball that led to Logica regaining the lead. A clever chipped ball over the top released Hoyland who controlled a difficult ball with some aplomb. As the Arab Boys appealed optimistically for hand-ball, offside, or indeed anything they could think of, Hoyland chipped a delicate lob over the advancing keeper. A tad too delicate if truth be told, because the keeper was able to chase back and was in close proximity to the ball as it reached the goal. However, undecided as to whether to continue his appeal or try to save the ball, he ended up executing a slapstick pirouetted attempt at a goal-line clearance which completely missed its target and Logica led 5-4.

With time running out, Logica just had to keep a collective cool head to ensure victory. Instead, a long throw into the box prompted a series of panicked and ineffectual attempts to clear, and Arab Boys had the ball in the net again (5-5). Logica pushed forward desperate to rescue the situation, and were rewarded somewhat fortunately with a penalty award. A corner was half cleared, and as the ball bounced in front of Craig Taylor he tried to shield it. A clumsy challenge was sufficient to topple the Leeds man, and although it was definitely a penalty based on the contact made, there are plenty of referees who would not have given it.

So it was time for Abbott to stand up and be counted. Having missed a penno in Logica's last but one match, the pressure must have been immense in the heated atmospheric cauldron that is the Grand Drive Stadium. But Abbott showed the requisite character, hitting his shot firmly enough to beat the flailing dive of the keeper who did get a hand to the ball, but couldn't keep it out (6-5).

Surely the points were in the bag now, with just a few minutes left on the clock? Sadly, no. A silly free kick given away ten yards outside the box allowed Arab Boys one last chance of parity. The ball was floated with some precision over the rossoneri back line, and a Boys player dived full length to head past an exposed Fleming (6-6).

The final whistle completed the misery for the Logica players, who trooped disconsolately from the quagmiric pitch. Abbott summed up the disappointment best at the post-match press conference. "In many ways that was a far worse result than the Pump House humiliation," he stated. "We were beaten fair and square in that previous match, but this was a game that we could and should have won, and comfortably as well. We will not play more friendly opposition all season."

Asked if his hat-trick provided some personal consolation, Abbott replied in the negative. "I would far rather Logica won and I hadn't scored at all, than score a hat-trick and drop two points," the striker retorted. "The team winning is all that matters." Abbott was also asked whether his goals today would act as a suitable riposte to the gathering herd of vitriolic critics who had lambasted him in recent months during his goal drought. "No," was the ace marksman's categorical reply. "Even though they have no concept of the striker's art, they have every right to criticise if I'm not delivering the goods. Its my job to score goals. But I knew that if I kept getting into the positions, the goals would come eventually."

In a touching postscript, Abbott also explained that "this is my first match since the birth of my daughter, Millie, and I'm dedicating this hat-trick to her. Hopefully this will be the first of many match-balls for her new play-pen."