This battle of the giants would be a severe test for the new Messiah, as Logica on an unbeaten run stretching back to the beginning of October, took on an in-form Battersea Park side who had won every game they had played, and not yet conceded a goal. The encounter lived up to it's pre-match billing as the two teams produced a six goal thriller, thoroughly enjoyed by all the spectators. Logica proved themselves on a par with Park, and also became the first team to dent their perfect defensive record.

The game was off to an exciting start as a strong, headed clearance by Logica put Lambert through on goal. He managed to hold off the challenge of two Park defenders but was foiled in front of goal by the horrendous lunar surface which masquerades as the Links Avenue pitch, and his shot lolloped off a shin and wide.

This hopeful opening was merely a prelude to some concerted Park pressure. Logica survived through some gutsy and determined defending, coupled with some naive and green Park finishing. Wildsmith was at his magnificent best, repelling the yellow onslaught with a multitude of excellent saves, as well as showing great courage in coming to claim or punch clear a succession of corners and crosses.

After weathering this storm, the home side finally started to play some passing football as rehearsed at the previous Sunday's impromptu training session. Logica's first decent passing move of the match forced a throw-in by the corner flag, which the ever- alert Hatton took smartly. Woolhouse, dusting off some of the skills honed in the dim and distant past whilst playing at a higher level, received the throw and turned in one movement to send in a dangerous low cross. Johnson at the near post looked set to get on the end of this, until he was wrestled to the ground by a defender. It became irrelevant whether the referee had seen this offence or not, when Lambert arrived right on time to tuck the ball away at the far post.

Within minutes Logica had doubled their advantage. Again it was that star of yesteryear, Woolhouse, who managed to revive memories of a once great talent as he instigated the second goal. Picking the ball up in the middle of the Park half, he fed Abbott out wide, and moved on swiftly to receive the return pass. Without pausing for thought he again whipped in a lethal cross which caused such pandemonium that a defender instinctively stuck out a toe to divert the behind the Park keeper. Johnson was quickest to react, in true goal-poaching fashion, getting to the loose ball first and crashing it home from close range.

Logica now played with the confidence one would expect two good goals to bring, and other good passing moves might have yielded more with better luck. At this juncture, Logica were controlling the game as their disciplined approach found them contesting the game in every area of the pitch. It was thus unfortunate that Park scored two quick goals just before half-time to level at 2-2. It was Park's aerial threat that finally prevailed as first a long cross from the right was headed home from six yards, and then a disputed free-kick was dispatched in similar fashion.

The Messiah Sidaway re-invigorated his deflated followers at half-time with only a modicum of clichés. This proved vital as Park once more started the stronger. The defence stood firm with Clarke and Dick outstanding in the centre. This solidity was reflected in front of the defence, where Mitchell and Millar showed spirited determination in their battle against the central Park midfielders. Indeed, the pick of the midfield was Mitchell who provided great support to his defence and diffused a number of tricky situations with well-timed interceptions and clearances. Above everyone, though, stood Wildsmith who produced a string of quality saves to deny Park when they were at their most potent in the third quarter. The best of all was a brave double save. As he agilely palmed a cross away from the head of an attacker poised to score, the tyke between the sticks incurred an inadvertent elbow to the head for his trouble. Our keeper crumpled to the ground as the ball fell to a second Park forward, who rifled the ball goalwards. Wildsmith's instincts somehow remained in tact, even in his semi- conscious state, as he leapt from the floor to clutch the speeding missile and Logica were once more saved.

As in the first half, Logica emerged on the back of a long period of heroic and committed defending to pose a threat of their own. The passing began to flow as Woolhouse, not be phased playing at this lower level, began to stamp his authority on the game. Park became increasingly desperate, and Toman, after passing two defenders on a characteristically powerful run down the left, was felled cynically by the third and last. Shortly afterwards, Johnson, looking as comfortable in his new striking role as Juninho does in a Middlesborough shirt, turned his defender and headed goalwards. Unselfishly the lion-hearted Teessider squared to the unmarked Abbott who, with the goal gaping, shot limply wide from ten yards to squander the best chance of the half.

The out-of-form striker was fortunate to get a chance to redeem himself so quickly. Johnson was again the provider, spinning away from his marker more sharply than a delivery from Phil Tufnell; Park's tall centre-half was beaten and clumsily brought down the Logica man. No arguments: a definite penalty. Abbott held his nerve to send the Park keeper the wrong way and re- establish Logica's lead.

This crude challenge on Johnson together with Toman's hacking down minutes earlier, enforced the image of a 'Jekyll and Hyde' Park performance. This continued as the visitors clawed their way back into the game with minutes remaining. A good passing move down the left for once opened up Logica's defence, and a final incisive pass burdened Park's centre-forward with nothing more than tapping the ball into an unguarded goal. If the truth be told(!), it was no more than Park deserved after dominating for long periods of the game. A 3-3 draw represented a valuable point for Logica, gained through great team spirit, determination and no little skill, all of which had been noticeably absent at the start of the season.