The last time was the famous ‘Roy of The Rovers’ match against Gardeners Arms. Three-nil down with just ten minutes left, a fantasy comeback saw Logica score four late goals to snatch an incredible and completely undeserved victory. The date of this game? 1st December 1996. It’s significance? This was the last competitive game won by Logica FC. Three hundred and seventy days without a win in sixteen league and two cup games, the equivalent of an entire season. No victory yet in 1997, and the days rapidly running out.

So how might we end this disastrous run of form? Some extra fitness training to enable the boys to give 110% for a full ninety minutes? Some extra coaching sessions to improve the boys’ basic technique? Careful analysis and improvement of the boy’s dietary patterns? The organisation of a compulsory triathlon on some far away and treacherous terrain to hone the boys mental toughness and physical stamina? Actually, none of these. The New Logica committee opted for the more traditional ‘curry and lager’ solution. On Thursday evening the Logica FC Christmas Cuzza, complete with some less than high-fibre culinary delights and copious quantities of lager (plus the odd drop of champagne). On Sunday morning, our first victory of 1997. Once again, New Committee, "If Selected…" takes it’s hat off to your motivational insight.

And so it was that at the eleventh hour, a blank year was averted with a stylish and well-deserved two points gained at the expense of Khellia. Without the aid of the Trovato wake-up routine, Logica began with their customary slumbering gait. Some sloppy passing surrendered early possession, but Khellia offered little more than long shots. The away side did have a penalty appeal turned down, as well as having a goal disallowed due to a foul on the keeper. Their best chance fell when a free-kick was flicked on to Khellia’s dangerous outside-left all alone in the six-yard box, but the Abbott in goal did well to block the shot and bundle the ball away for a corner.

This close shave finally sounded the Logica alarm clock, and the players woke up. Some good passing football started to flow, and, just as last week, Dave "Skippy" Richmond was the inspiration and architect. A number of chances were created before the first Logica goal materialised on the half hour. A sweeping move from left to right found Burdett whipping in a low cross which was clinically hooked home by ‘stand-in’ striker Jon Clarke. Logica capitalised on their dominance, and a second goal followed. A second dazzling run in as many minutes from libero Trovato, left half the Khellia team floundering in the captain’s wake. Darting into the penalty area, the stylish Italian unleashed a low shot, which anti-climatically was directed straight at the keeper. Most Logica players had turned away by the time the Khellia goal-minder had somehow contrived to fumble the ball over the line. A split second of uncomprehending silence was broken by the delighted exclamation of ‘GOAL!’.

Buoyed by a half-time lead, Logica began to play as if winning was second nature. Toman weaved (rather than heaved) his magic out left. Spence, Richmond and Clarke knitted together superbly, as they briskly embroidered their passing threads through Khellia’s less than blanket defence. All that was missing was that critical finish that would have sewn the game up for sure. Logica seemed to cut through the visitor’s last line at will. But as Clarke blasted over, Spence rounded the keeper only to shoot wide, and other glaring opportunities went begging, one began to wonder whether fate might punish such profligacy.

A couple of warnings had been sounded, but some sublime defensive tackling kept Khellia at bay. Burdett in particular made two brilliant last ditch tackles to deprive forwards shaping to shoot. Abbott had not really been troubled in this half until, with some twenty minutes remaining, Khellia finally got the ball in the net. Khellia’s forward, a yard in front of Appleyard, clipped a right-wing cross over the stranded Logica keeper from ten yards, but the linesman’s flag was instantly raised. The referee duly awarded a free-kick for offside, much to the disgust of the vocal away side. To rub salt into an already inflamed wound, Trovato’s long free-kick cleared the last Khellia defender enabling Spence to draw the keeper and square to the supporting Clarke. Somehow contriving to sit on the ball, Clarke still had time to stand up and tap into an empty goal for his fourth of the season (putting him top in the Golden Boot stakes).

This perceived injustice had Khellia caving in, and a number of their players seemed suddenly very keen to be substituted. Logica were home and dry, and created further chances at will. Toman shot at the keeper when a square pass would have guaranteed a goal. Pace was clean through but his delicate lob was just not quite high enough. Spence miscued a cross onto the bar, but incredibly the referee blew up for offside when the hamstrung Scot blasted home the rebound. An outstanding defensive display by Trovato, Hatton and Appleyard deserved a clean sheet, but tragically, when a goal finally came it was Khellia who scored it. With minutes left, a cross from the right allowed a suspiciously offside-looking Khellia player to loop a header goalwards. Abbott dived backwards, got a hand to the ball, but couldn’t keep it out.

This did not affect the result, nor the celebrations that followed. Virtually the whole squad piled into the local, and our first victory in over a year was joyously relived over a few pints and Hatton’s turkey baguette. The analysis proved conclusive: it was the mysterious powers of the Indian curry that had finally laid our annus horriblus to rest. Well Haandi!