With just two games left, Logica's quest for survival had reached the point where there was no time for a Plan B. 's Survival Masterplan demanded a victory this morning as the fourth win in his roadmap to safety. There was also some amateur pride to play for. Logica had looked less than convincing in stumbling to a 3-2 victory over a 10-man Galician side just a fortnight ago, and Logica wanted to show that they were a better team than that display indicated.

had the rare luxury of full availability to select from, and whilst that left him free to assemble as strong a squad as possible for this vital clash, it also left him with some difficult decisions to make. Perhaps the unluckiest player was , whose skill, strength and commitment in his first four games for the club had made a significant contribution to two wins, but who was now left out.

The gaffer still had his work cut out once the picking was over. Ace keeper failed to materialise on the morning of the game, and immediately had a conundrum on his hands. With still nursing an injured shoulder, boldly handed the gloves to Italian libero , a player whose only previous stint between the sticks was so long ago that the gaffer had still been battling his way through this country's rigorous education system at the time.

There was a further poser up front, with both and now available again after their respective holidays. plumped for the Sheffielder's pace early doors, whilst holding the Teesider's proven impact off the bench up his sleeve. All three of these tricky decisions would prove shrewdly inspired.

Although Logica started with composed purpose, forcing a corner via a well constructed move down the left straight from the kick-off, the Galicians gave as good as they got in the first quarter. was sent clear by a visionary pass, but his attempted lob over a keeper caught in no-mans land screwed wide of the goal. At the other end, a three-man Deportivo attack were regularly stretching the Logica rearguard and finding men over in dangerous positions. was once again in imposing form, reading the game perceptively to regularly intercept dangerous balls, as well as winning the aerial battle and many tackles too.

Logica had a couple of rushed Galician snapshots to thank for maintaining parity, and then stand-in keeper came to the rescue. A Galician striker got the wrong side of and was left with a clear run on goal. But as he attempted to round the Logica number one, timed his dive to perfection and pounced on the ball like a cat on a mouse.

Logica continued to play well in non-stop rain on a difficult surface, but it was the home side who took the lead after twenty minutes. The visiting defence struggled to clear following some Deportivo pressure, but when the ball broke free on the left edge of the box, it was who blocked a stinging shot. The ball rebounded to a Galician, who took one touch before firing a superbly angled shot beyond the despairing dive of and just inside the far post [0-1].

Suddenly the yellow men faced a stiff test of character. So often this season they had collapsed after going a goal behind, but now they needed to show some collective spirit if they were to fight back in pursuit of the win they so desperately needed. had been working hard down the right flank to find the key to unlock the Galician rearguard, but now created something with one of his trademark long throws. was the recipient on the bye-line, and he twisted elaborately before chipping a cross into the danger zone. It was who rose highest, but agonisingly his header skimmed just the wrong side of the post with the keeper well beaten and also inches away from applying the necessary diversion.

But the visitor's were not done yet. Hunting as a pair, and closed down some uncertain Galician play, and a quick ball released down the right touchline. As the last defender moved across to challenge, the Sheffielder spied his strike-partner galloping forward in support and squared a first time pass. took one touch before unleashing a precise low shot that found the gap unerringly between keeper and near post, and Logica were level [1-1].

With a goal to reward their efforts, Logica grew in confidence and began to keep possession with more conviction. epitomised this new found poise and determination, regularly combining elegantly with in some finely crafted moves down the left, as well as persistently chasing down and tackling the Galician right midfielder. And it was pressure from him that won the ball back for Logica deep in their own half as the precursor to a quick second goal. The ball fell to who looked up before lofting a delicate ball over Deportivo's stranded backline. had started an intelligent run onside in his own half, and now bore down purposefully on the exposed Galician keeper. Keeping a cool head and sharp feet, he rounded the last man with ease before tapping home into an empty net for a finely taken goal [2-1].

The home side were clearly rattled, and their frustration spilled over as their centre-half and their captain squared up with fists and heated words even as Logica were still celebrating their second goal. The two were forcibly separated by team-mates, and as the referee trotted over to enquire what was going on, the defender flounced towards the side-lines taking his shirt off as he went. This unilateral withdrawal was made permanent with a quick substitution, but Deportivo must have been glad to hear the half-time whistle which quickly followed.

The second half raised the spectre of more psychological ghosts for 's men. Many an interval plea for more of the same had been met with an early opposition goal and subsequent capitulation during this campaign. But now Logica again set about their task with resolve and no little application. Buoyed by a sizable away following, the players in yellow were voluble in their encouragement on one another, and it was their attitude as much as their fine play that was winning the day.

And it was Logica rather than their opponents who applied a quick and decisive blow after the restart. Pressure had penned Deportivo back in their own half, and they now nervously took a throw-in close to their own goal-line. The FA Manual of Cardinal Sins had obviously not been consulted, for a kamikaze throw was lobbed square at a startled defender. The ball bounced over his head, and the anticipating moved in for the kill. It all looked a little too straight-forward, however, and the Lag striker felt obliged to give the innocent victim another chance. But an elaborate shimmy had the poor unfortunate sliding one way as nipped back the other way, before another completely unnecessary dummy had the keeper on his knees. With keeper and defender converging in one last desperate lunge, and his colleagues wincing in fear of the dreaded twang, slipped the ball from right-foot to left and rolled it between the two Galicians with just the requisite pace to see it cross the line ahead of another defender's tantalising chase [3-1].

Logica were in the driving seat now, and sought to kill the game off. More chances followed, and the best fell to six yards out, as another good move saw the ball headed in his direction. Unfortunately the Leeds man was to be foiled by his own team-mate, for as he shaped to pull the trigger, who should come bumbling across but , who in trying to get out of the way only ended up colliding with . As the two Logica players fell to the ground in top comedy style, the ball trickled away in derisory fashion.

had given his all by this stage, and his significant contribution now saw him tiring slightly. moved quickly to maintain his team's advantage, bringing on fresh legs in the shape of . There was also an enforced change as a late challenge caught who suffered a dead leg and was swiftly replaced by .

The gaffer's tactical nouse was almost immediately rewarded when nearly scored with his first touch, but his back-stick header bounced down and wide. Briefly the Galicians applied some pressure, but Logica collectively stood firm. was everywhere, and dealt effectively with a couple of dangerous corners, first catching and then punching.

But the visitors quickly responded. First to every loose ball, they also produced some incisive passing football that tore Deportivo apart at the back. quickly added to the mix and some pacey runs down the right were complemented with some superb crosses. One of these picked out drifting in unmarked at the far post, but after killing the ball deftly with his first touch, he found the keeper had advanced smartly to block the shot that followed. As the ball ballooned up in the air, the striker attempted to execute an adventurous overhead kick that a man of his age really would be best advised against, and the result was suitably lamentable. Undeterred, was soon popping up at the back stick again, this time firing a bouncing cross too high.

did not have long to wait for another bite at the cherry. A finely timed diagonal run into the inside-left channel was matched by a pass slipped through by . optimistically provided a square option, but had no need of help, and swivelled to fire home off the inside of the near post [4-1].

There was no stopping Logica now. Raking moves down either flank threatened a goal every time, and was unlucky when a diving header from another lethal cross from the right fizzed inches wide of the post. But a fifth goal did soon arrive when more concerted pressure saw a half-clearance fall to some twenty five yards out. Without needing to look up, his instincts sensed the keeper a few feet off his line, and in a trice the lob was arcing its way goalwards, curving perfectly over the flailing glove-man and dipping under the bar to give the striker a classic hat-trick [5-1]. Not the somewhat mundane "classic" hat-trick that comprises right-foot, left-foot and headed finish. But rather the somewhat more aesthetically pleasing hat-trick combination of clinical drilled finish, followed by the elaborate and completely unnecessary fanny, and all rounded off with the finish of choice - the classical lob.

There could and should have been more. once again fancied his chances, and galloped forwards to find the ball at his feet on the edge of the box. A quick adjustment and the defender had placed a delicate curling shot seemingly goalbound only to see the right-hand post intervene. And should have had a fourth when a beautifully cushioned header by lined him up perfectly for a volley from 15 yards. But with glory beckoning, the shot was blazed wastefully high.

But for all the attacking verve, it was perhaps a moment at the other end that embodied Logica's brilliant all-round team performance. With and increasingly pushing forward, Deportivo counter-attacked swiftly in one last attempt at a consolation. The ball was moved quickly upfield and a chipped pass seemed to have played a striker free. But who was there covering with a last ditch header but the Hackney Houndini himself, , unselfishly tracking back for the good of the team even when the match was long since won.

The final whistle saw the Logica players celebrating their best performance and their biggest win of the season. It could be perceived as perplexing that a team that can put in a performance as good as this spent a pointless ten games before Christmas getting regularly trounced. But for now the players and fans should just enjoy this excellent all-round display that is hopefully the penultimate step towards a miraculous escape. Something out of next week's last game against Supercala would hopefully see Logica to safety, and at least performances like this one will give grounds for optimism for 2004/05.