Another Sunday morning, another big match. Having got back to winning ways the previous week against close rivals Deportivo, Logica now found themselves up against league leaders Spencers. And that ahead of next week’s equally crucial clash against high-flying South West United.

But the Supremo preferred to take each game as it comes. "That is the price of success: a tough match every week. It’s a price I’m more than happy to pay," opined the Groomster at Friday’s pre-match press conference. "In any case, there are no easy games at this level," he added after careful consideration.

Logica were without some of their big name stars for this vital clash. Abbott, Reevaldo, Hatton Major, Taylor, Gautam, Buck and Brown were all unavailable for selection with various injuries, runny noses and prior drinking engagements. But Groom held no truck with the popular myth that the modern footballer plays too many matches. "Its true that the game is harder and faster these days, and that players have to be fitter. But they are also paid very well, and I have little sympathy when they come whining to me saying they are feeling a bit tired."

The wise one was also starting to see the benefits of the large squad he has assembled, and was still able to name a quality line-up despite the huge injury list. Richard McWilliam was back for his first game since October, and Jon Clarke was available to add his vision and skill to the midfield. Promising youngster Dom Donald was making only his second appearance for the club, whilst Field and Howarth also got the chance to show what they could do.

As soon as the game kicked off, it was clear to see why Spencers were top of the league. Frighteningly young, the long term effect of beer and fags was a still a long way off for these boys, and they penned Logica in their own half for long periods. The visitors’ defence was clearly in for a long siege, but they manned the barricades with defiant gusto, and even when Spencers took the lead, heads did not drop [0-1].

Remarkably Logica equalised with virtually their first attack of the game. In fact, it is a bit of an overstatement even to call it an attack. It seemed little more than a moment’s respite from the onslaught when a long clearance seemed to be heading comfortably through to the Spencer’s keeper. But Hoyzone gave optimistic chase anyway, and was rewarded when the home goalie picked the ball up before unaccountably dropping it. The Logica striker found himself with a gift at his feet, but before he could unwrap it, the Spencers glove-man endeavoured to rectify his blooper by grabbing the forward and pulling him to the ground. Cast iron penno, and Hoyland was not to be denied a second time as he slotted home clinically from the spot [1-1].

After this brief interruption, normal service was resumed. It was almost like an Attackers v Defenders practice match as the ball barely left the Logica half. But the whole team defended their goal heroically. Pendleton pulled off a string of miraculous and brave saves, and Trovato led by example at the back with tireless chasing, tackling and harrying.

Logica would let nobody past. Keeper Pendleton, well known for his blocking prowess, had arrived early at the ground, and had casually parked his club sponsored BMW outside what he took to be a disused shed, and, having signed a few autographs, headed for the dressing room. It turned out that this unlikely looking assemblage was in fact the hub of the Stadium maintenance operation, housing such state of the art apparatus as goal posts, wheel barrow, spade and white line paint-brush. The head of the Stadio della Acton ground staff was not amused, and demanded immediate removal of the offending vehicle. But Pendleton was otherwise engaged, and the now-substituted Supremo was called upon again to demonstrate just what a driving force he has to be sometimes.

Perhaps this act of making way was symbolic. For just as the visiting fans dared to hope that their heroes might hold out on the field, disaster struck. Having kept their opponents at bay for so long, it was heavily ironic that one of their own players would be the one to finally beat Pendleton. Perhaps that is the only way that Spencers were ever going to score, and Fazel, so often lethal in front of goal, was the poor unfortunate who inadvertently turned the ball into his own net [1-2].

That seemed to be that. Spencers did not ease up, and Logica were required to continue battling desperately but gallantly just to avoid a third goal being conceded. This they managed somehow or other, but as the referee started looking at his watch, Logica miraculously conjured up a second equaliser from virtually their second attack of the game. Steve Lambert was the architect, dragging his tired legs into one last effort, he embarked on a dazzling run past at least two defenders before slipping a perfect ball through a startled Spencers back line into the path of Hoyland. The Sheffield striker showed great composure given all that gone on before, and kept his head to slot home past the hapless Spencers keeper [2-2].

"Errr, quite remarkable!" as David Coleman would doubtlessly have expostulated had be been commentating on the Stadio gantry. He wasn’t, but something even more remarkable nearly occurred a minute later when Logica nearly nicked a winner with the last kick of the game. Lambert was again the creator, but this time Howarth was inches away from converting his dangerous cross.

To have scored a winner would have been truly unjust, and all the better for that. This had been the most one sided game since Scotland lined up against Estonia in Tallin back in 1996, but the Logica players earned full marks after showing great character to hang on in there, and they had been rewarded with an unlikely equaliser at the death. At the final whistle, the Spencers players fell distraught to the ground as if they had just lost the FA Cup Final. If Logica are to nick promotion at the end of the season, this point may well just make the difference.