Footballers as a breed tend to be superstitious, and traditions are religiously observed. One early-season tradition for the Logica club, is that they draw Brentford Town in the preliminary round of the prestigious Ron Halfacre Challenge Trophy, play appallingly, lose badly, and subsequently concentrate on the league. Last year we lost 7-1. This year the score was a less humiliating 3-1, but if Brentford had taken the second half even slightly seriously, then there could have been a repeat performance.

As befits a team with the initials BT, our opponents turned up very late, claiming they'd gone to the wrong venue by mistake. From Logica's point of view, they turned up ninety minutes too early. When the game finally got under way, Logica found it very difficult to get the ball as BT engaged in some precise and effective passing movements. The visitors scored early on when their centre-forward shot through a crowded penalty area. The ball bounced awkwardly in front of Wildsmith who could only parry. It was a BT player who got to the loose ball first to slide it home.

Miraculously Logica equalised with their first (and virtually last) attack of the game. For once they worked their way out of defence, and Johnson was the receiver on half-way. Abbott made the call out wide on the right and duly got a good early ball to feet. Lambert demonstrated what a good operator he is in midfield with a typical burst from deep. Abbott's precision long pass cleared BT's last line, enabling Lambert to just get to the ball before the keeper, push it past him, and volley emphatically into the roof of the net.

BT continued to dominate after this blip, and added two more before half-time. An identikit of the first goal found Wildsmith without the right extension, and although he did well to get a finger-tip to a hard shot, a BT forward was on hand to slam the ball home. Later a good BT exchange of passes down the Logica right culminated in a blistering shot which left Wildsmith on hold as the ball fizzed past him.

Early in the second half, it became apparent that if Logica were to divert the seemingly inevitable outcome of this game, then they needed to ring the changes quickly. Abbott pulled himself off after a poor first half to be replaced by Sidaway, whilst Moore made way for Hatton, only benched due to a knock the previous day. This switch offered some improvement as the BT options were far more limited. However from an attacking perspective, Logica offered little threat as attempted inter-connections were either cut off by BT before they could get through, or else passes went astray as the Logica players got their wires crossed. The result was a rather stale second period with no further goals added. For most of the Logica side, the performance was disappointing, but new boy Mitchell maybe took it worse than most. He is clearly not yet used to such ritual humiliations, and after the game was found to be as sick as a parrot.