Logica's unbeaten start to the season came crashing to a tragic end amidst a hat-full of missed chances and wasted opportunities. Bottom of the table Sportobello ran out 2-1 winners at a rain-lashed Kensington Park Stadium, but if Logica had taken just a small percentage of the many goal-chances they created, a comfortable victory would have been assured long before the final whistle.

The omens were not good as the team met at Latimer Road tube station beneath angry black rain clouds that left the players in no doubt as to the mood of the Football Gods. Fate began work early on this particular day of rest, as it conspired to deprive Logica of both their centre-halves before the game had started. Neither Phil Hatton nor Manlio Trovato appeared at the designated meeting point and an immediate reorganising of the remaining twelve was required.

As the game got under way, Abbott set the tone without further ado. Sportobello kicked off and the stand-in stand-in Supremo was quick to intercept a lazy pass, but from the edge of the penalty area he shot narrowly wide. Nich Fazel, playing his first game since the opening day of the season, quickly began to worry the home side with his pace and sharpness. First he was played through by Abbott but stabbed his shot past the post as well as the advancing keeper. Soon after, he executed a turn of breathtaking precision, leaving his marker for dead, but once again with just the keeper to beat, he shot agonisingly wide. With his third effort, the ball was in the back of the net. A sweet passing move culminated in a precise Abbott pass that Fazel slotted home from ten yards, but somewhat controversially the linesman flagged and the referee went along in adjudging the Logica striker offside.

After Abbott had shot weakly when well-placed, the midfield decided to get in on the act. A long throw was laid off by Abbott and Jon Clarke blasted over from six yards. Next up was Reevaldo. Abbott lobbed a pass into the path of the Highgate Houdini, who began assessing the myriad of manoeuvres at his disposal. The finish chosen was a scissor-kicked volley but the ball once more flew wide.

Just as Logica were beginning to feel that something beyond their comprehension was afoot in the heavens, they finally broke the deadlock. And it was a goal of great beauty, a reward for many hours of study at the School of the Unnecessarily Over-Elaborate. It started simply enough as Richmond saw Abbott breaking down the right and played him in with a glorious fifty yard pass. Abbott advanced into the penalty area, dummied to shoot before cutting inside the last defender. He then drew the keeper before squaring to Spence who had run half the length of the pitch in support. Not wanting to be out-elaborated, Spence waited for a defender to come across and executed a swift and unnecessary dummy of his own, before side-footing past a completely bemused Sportobello goalkeeper (1-0).

In between this plethora of squanderance, the home side attacked with occasional threat. But new Logica goalkeeper Simon Groom put his very own gloves to good use, and showed some particularly excellent handling skills in slippery conditions. Only once was he left helpless but luckily the header cannoned back off the cross-bar.

Despite an interval spent reminding one another not to become complacent, Logica struggled to maintain the tempo as the second half got under way. The Sportobello players had clearly had the riot act read to them, and with a changed formation they came out with much more purpose. Logica became bogged down, began to give possession away cheaply, and much of the first fifteen minutes was played in the visitors' half. Groom came to the rescue on two occasions, make brave blocks at the feet of on-rushing Sportobello forwards. Logica still mustered the occasional threatening break, and a rasping drive from Abbott from the corner of the box beat the keeper but clipped the top of the bar.

Inevitably after such sustained profligacy, Logica conceded an equaliser. A quick throw-in caught the back four napping, and the Sportobello player was in quickly to thrash a low shot across the sprawling Groom and just inside the far post (1-1). Logica responded by bringing on Banoub for the fading Fazel, and briefly they regained the upper hand. Wood headed over from a corner, and a Reevaldo pile-driver from twenty yards was just off target. Spence mis-hit an Abbott lay-off wide from eight yards, before the latter was sent clear only to see his looping shot directed too close to the keeper. And shortly it was again Abbott advancing down the left. Having beaten his man, he completely fluffed his cross, and in true Harry Kewell style it looped over a stranded keeper, hit the inside of the far post and bounced along the goal-line before being cleared.

The Gods were clearly just toying with their pray in the same way a cat might torment a doomed goldfish with its paw. With fifteen minutes remaining Sportobello took the lead. A long hopeful punt was covered by Richmond, but as he looked up for a colleague to pass to, the ball got stuck between his legs in the increasingly squelchy mud. A Sportobello forward was in like a flash. Having nicked the ball, he was away, and rounded Groom to tap home into an empty goal (1-2). Our fate was becoming clear.

Desperate to defy their pre-determined doom, Logica roused themselves for a stirring finale. Banoub set the tone with some strong running down the inside-forward channels. After bursting down the right his cross was cleared, and then an even better run down the left beat two men. Approaching the bye-line he cut the most inviting of crosses back across goal, taking out the keeper on its way. But Abbott was slow to anticipate and a defender cleared from under his own cross-bar.

Sportobello still threatened, and Groom was again called on to make a brave save in amongst the studs. As Logica plied all into attack, Groom was again the saviour as he flung himself full length to tip a grass-cutter around the post. But Logica did not panic, and still they kept playing their football. Hoyland was unlucky to see a header clear the bar, and with seconds remaining, the table-toppers carved out one last glorious chance. Spence tangled with an opponent, and managed to stab the ball forwards to Abbott. He was away, and as two defenders converged he slipped the ball to Banoub unmarked to his left. The substitute controlled the ball and shot hard from twelve yards, but the Gods were still on duty, and the ball unbelievably flew straight at a grateful goalie.

The final whistle brought disbelief and despondency to the twelve Logica players. The whole team had played well, but there had been some particularly impressive performances. Groom in goal was a revelation, and Nich Fazel caused mayhem in the first half with his pace and direct running. Jez Brown made a full debut better than Benito Carbone's the previous day. As well an excellent defensive display in the - as yet - unaccustomed left-back position, he also got forward and combined well with Reevaldo on a number of occasions to pose a significant left-field threat.

On reflection, Logica had played some lovely football that had yielded chance after chance. Tragically, or perhaps fatefully, all bar one of these opportunities had been spurned. Someone, somewhere, was 'aving a larrff.