Logica continued their impressive upward spiral from the second half of last season with a spirited fight-back that earned a merited draw against Sporting Brixton in the blistering autumnal sunshine. And it would have been a winning start had not a defensive howler of Jamesian proportions gifted the South London side a late equaliser when three points appeared to be nestling snugly in the gaffer’s bag.

But ’s new-found messianic status is partly founded on his unswerving gaze towards the positive side. At the post-match press conference he seemed content with an unbeaten start, laconically noting that "we already have more points on the board than by the end of December last time out." The message was that he wants Logica to become hard to beat, and also that the team need to put together some kind of unbeaten run before he will even countenance beginning work on his Promotion Roadmap.

Another major contributing factor to ’s new-found managerial veneration was his shrewdness in the transfer market. When the team was in dire straights nine months ago, he moved quickly to snap up the likes of , , and for next to nothing. And now it seems he has unearthed another gem, as produced an extremely impressive debut performance that also included notching Logica’s first goal.

And if all this is sounding a trifle eulogistic (as if written by a man worried about keeping his place, for example), it must also be said that the gaffer is not immune to the occasional error of judgement. However it seems he is big enough to admit to them. Never one to pander to the reputation or fame of his big name players, had a surprise in store when the teamsheets were handed in 30 minutes before kick-off: legendary hole-merchant was starting on the bench.

An approach from Real Madrid? Another pram-emptying spat with the boss? Another dance-floor injury? Rumours were rife in the press-box, but it seems ’s motives were purely tactical. But after a disjointed first half team display, was promptly introduced to add the composure previously lacking and turn the game back in Logica’s favour. "It was definitely a big mistake to leave out," rued the gaffer afterwards. "He showed his quality, not least an ability to hold onto the ball and keep possession. We were a different team after the interval, but I still believe my motives were sound. Both and had impressed hugely in training, and I didn’t think it would be fair to leave either of them out."

And the gaffer’s reasoning was vindicated early doors despite an imposing start to the game by the neat and quick Brixton outfit. had already come close with a spectacular volley from a flick on, when he opened his Logica goalscoring account after just ten minutes. fed midway in the visitor’s half, and the striker swivelled sharply before feeding the ball out to the left touchline. Left-back had advanced with purpose, and now swung in a dangerously curving cross that superbly picked out ’s run from deep. The debutant showed a cool head to glance the ball just inside the far post from eight yards [1-0].

Despite taking the lead, Logica looked nervy, disjointed and a bit slow off the mark in their first game of the season. Players were reacting rather than anticipating, and Sporting found plenty of time and space to pose a regular threat. The visitors equalised when a marauding run down the left flank saw the ball pulled back for a shot from 12 yards that owed far more to accuracy than power [1-1].

It could have been worse when an incisive pass inside the left full-back saw Brixton’s striker galloping clear. But having rounded the exposed , the player wanted to burst the net and his shot ballooned over an unguarded goal. If Logica were lucky on that occasion they were a tad unfortunate with Sporting’s second goal. Now it was a pass inside the right full-back, but this time advanced to make a brilliant block. But as the ball ran loose, Logica players appeared half asleep. The Brixton left-winger was left to retreat and collect the ball before firing it straight back into the danger area. Whether intended or not wasn’t clear, but the ball drifted towards the back post and just dipped inside the angle of post and cross-bar as could only look on with horror [1-2].

Although Brixton dominated the first half, Logica were still able to put together enough moves of quality to create as many chances at the other end. was played clear only to shoot weakly straight at the keeper, and when the ball came back to him, he slipped it to whose goalbound shot was deflected inches wide by a desperately lunging Brixton boot. nearly scored a second after working his way clear only to see his shot brilliantly saved. And had done the hard work in getting past three players in the inside-right channel only to see his shot with the outside of the right boot fly just wide of the far post.

After a slightly subdued opening to the second half by both sides, Logica began to assert some authority and pressure as their passing game began to click into gear. and quickly established an understanding in the centre of the park that regularly yielded a quick interchange of passing, and with and increasingly involved down the flanks, a Logica goal seemed only a matter of time.

The equaliser came from the latest of a string of corners forced by home pressure. fired in the dead ball to the back stick and once more it was rising highest to head the ball goalwards. The keeper seemed to have an easy save until arch-poacher appeared from nowhere to swivel and flick the ball into the roof of the net all in one movement [2-2]. The finish was reminiscent of Owen’s against Portugal in Euro2004, albeit a trifle less balletic.

Suddenly Brixton looked tired in the heat as Logica went for the jugular. perceptively replaced the goalscorer with as Logica’s summer training sessions appeared to be paying dividends. The substitute and the tireless both had efforts blocked before an elegant, sweeping move saw Logica take the lead.

The ball moved from left-back to right-wing via crisp passes through , , and to . The ageing striker released a nicely angled pass dangerously behind the Brixton back-line. just failed to get a touch, but was following in instinctively behind him. Controlling the ball in a flash, the Yorkshireman unleashed a fizzing close-range volley that dramatically cannoned back off the underside of the bar. But was alert to the rebound, and rose to head a difficult bouncing ball back across the line [3-2].

Throughout this period of Logica pressure, Sporting had still looked dangerous on the break. As in the first half, any ball dissecting the Logica backline seemed to play Brixton’s pacey forwards clear, and the heroic was called upon to make two or three brilliant one-on-one blocks. The Logica gloveman also pulled off a spectacular full-length finger-tip around the post when another clear Brixtonian unleashed a fizzing strike that seemed a certain goal.

Thus, even after taking the lead and with just five minutes remaining, Logica could not rest on their laurels. Another precise pass through a square Logica last line saw a Sporting forward clear once more. did well to narrow the angle and push the player wide such that the final weak shot was easily intercepted by the covering in his own six yard box. With hindsight the ball should have been dispatched immediately to the safety of the stands, but a short pass to his brother found a startled on the edge of the box facing his own goal. It is perhaps ironic that the original Row Z merchant should try and play his way out of this perilous position, but an ill-advised dribble found an alert Brixtonian pinching the ball and firing easily into an exposed goal [3-3].

Although Logica had thrown Sporting this chance of an opening late doors, and with it two points, was fairly philosophical afterwards. The gaffer refused to dwell on the gaffe, and instead opined that "a draw was probably a fair result overall. I’d probably have taken a point if offered it at half-time, although I was extremely pleased with our dramatically improved showing after the break. I thought looked very good on his debut, and the all round squad is looking better and better."

And although obviously keen not to draw the attention of the Football Gods so early in the season, the Supremo could not help finishing on a note of cautious optimism. "I have a sneaking feeling that these players could do something this season."