An incredible game of two halves, Brian, saw Logica get their first win of the season but only just. After a superb sixty minute display of the kind of modern, technical football that is Clarkey's dream of the future, Logica regressed for the last half an hour to the panic-ridden chaos that is our nightmare of the past. Logica failed to repeat exactly the loss of a four goal lead that they had contrived two seasons ago against Morganite only by the width of a Sumo hair.

The traditional poor start saw Logica concede an even quicker goal this week, as another early mix-up at the back let in Cultural on their first attack and debutant Humphries was treated to the traditional Logica initiation ceremony of picking the ball out of the back of the net. As a change to the script, however, Logica bounced back immediately and responded with some of the finest football they have played for many a year.

Inspired by the European triumvirate of Trovato, Plane and Oude Vrielink, Logica showed the confidence to maintain possession under pressure which enabled them to repeatedly construct some precise attacking moves. Even the loss of Oude Vrielink after only fifteen minutes did not unsettle the formation, as substitute Thang Sam came on and had a very impressive game.

The equalising goal was a little unorthodox. Cumultative pressure brought Logica their first corner, and Woolhouse curled the dead-ball kick over the keeper and in under the bar. To the irregular supporter this may have seemed a complete fluke, but the regular visitor to the Links Avenue stadium will know that Woolhouse has been trying this for years. In any event, this was the boost Logica needed, and now they attacked with a relentlessness born out of supreme confidence. Plane found Woolhouse making a great run forward, and although the Cultural keeper got a hand to the J-League-bound midfield maestro's shot, birthday-boy Spence was on hand to tuck away a tricky rebound.

Woolhouse was running the show now, and just as last week, the whole team was playing well. Plane, Trovato, Hatton, and Toman were especially impressive in trying to play the ball out of defence, rather than risk panicked clearances that would surrender possession, and this was the key change in Logica's style. Woolhouse's passes were creating havoc, and Lambert, Abbott and Spence were finding space at every turn.

A clever free-kick from Woolhouse into Abbott's feet lead to the third goal as Abbott turned, pushed the ball past the keeper before being felled by the latter's clumsy challenge. Just as last week Abbott slotted home the spot kick, despite the keeper getting a hand on the ball. Minutes later Logica produced the goal of the game. A sweet passing movement saw Woolhouse feed Abbott, who danced past one defender and play a crisp pass inside to Spence. The Scot jinked around the last defender, dummied the keeper and rolled the ball into an empty net for his second goal of the game.

The half-time wealth of experience warned against over-confidence, tiring legs and the assumption that the game was already won (wise cliches indeed), and the next fifteen minutes seemed to indicate that notes had been taken. Continued good play led to further chances, Abbott most notably missing a lob, and it was no surprise when last season's Golden Boot added a fifth. A cross from Woolhouse was fumbled by the keeper and Lambert was sharpest to react, and poked home with his trusty left foot.

From there on in, it looked as if the half-time warnings had been misread as instructions. Logica sat back and immediately began to look extremely tired. Cultural took their lead from this, and quickly gleaned hope with a second goal. Surely a three goal lead would be ample?!? After some sustained pressure, Cultural added a third when a hopeful long shot looped over the stranded Humphries in goal. With still twenty minutes to go, Logica began to panic, hoofing long clearances, as tired legs were unable to make the runs that earlier had provided opportunities to maintain possession. Somehow by means of some desperate defending, best exemplified by Woolhouse's glancing header to just clear a goal-bound shot off the goal-line, Logica managed to hang on. With three minutes to go more ragged defending left three Cultural players unmarked at the far post and the score was 5-4. Lambert had the chance to put the matter beyond doubt. A through-ball from Woolhouse saw Lambert hold off a defender and round the keeper, only to be bundled to the ground by the visitor's number one. Lambert's tenacity found him still trying to force the ball home from his prostrate position, and it must have been this act that convinced the referee that there was no penalty to award.

Miraculously Logica survived the last few minutes and the long awaited final whistle was the call for every player to collapse to the ground in utter relief. A rerun of the Morganite disaster had just been averted, and Logica had two precious points to show for their gargantuan effort.