It was touted as Logica's 'Cup Final'. A massive relegation six-pointer that they could not afford to lose. They lost. Despite taking the lead early in the second period through a predatory Banoub strike, they contrived to concede three goals in a ten minute spell midway through the same half. It was a mountain that eventually proved too big to climb.

After Moon's eclipse, Logica found themselves second bottom, two points behind both St Anselms and Sportobello. All was far from lost, however, as we still had to face both these sides. St Anselms in particularly had looked fairly poor in our early-season encounter, and this was targeted as a game Logica must win.

Unfortunately, the club is still suffering from Logica employing too many well-rounded individuals, people who seem to have more to their lives than just chasing a football around on a Sunday morning. Thus even before Fleming could name his squad for the most important game of the season, he found himself without the services of Hatton Major, Gow, Spence, Wood, Clarke, Burdett and Sidaway.

The situation worsened on Sunday morning as three more dropped out. The much anticipated return of Hoyland was cancelled at the eleventh hour, when the striker turned his ankle on the way home from "a quiet Saturday evening out". After the luck that Hoyland has had with injuries during his career, one can only conclude he spent a childhood bobbing and weaving in and out of black cats, and ducking and diving under ladders. The great Reevaldo produced a sicknote from his mother, and with Trovato still trying to work out how to change the time on his clocks, Logica were left with a bare eleven.

Even this shouldn't have mattered too much. Apart from their pacey and skilful number six in midfield, St Anselms were as mediocre as we had remembered, and Logica shaded a goalless first half. At times, the Rossoneri played some good football on a bumpy surface, and carved out a number of presentable chances. Banoub bustled his way past two defenders early doors, only to see his low shot zip just the wrong side of the post.

Some thoughtful and considered play from Brown then produced a great chance for Logica to take the lead. Controlling the ball well under pressure, he refused to be rushed, instead waiting until the right ball to Abbott presented itself. The ageing striker somewhat scuffed his intended pass, but it rolled fortuitously into the path of the unmarked Sutton on the right edge of the box. The youngster steadied himself before shooting, but the Saints' keeper did well to parry his low effort. Even then the ball fell nicely to Sutton on the rebound, but his shot sailed over the bar with two defenders quaking on the line.

As half time approached, Logica won a corner, and Abbott was able to glance on Taylor's kick. Banoub had timed his run to perfection, and made solid contact from just a few yards out, but somehow an Anselms' defender managed to block, and the ball was scrambled clear. Incredibly, Logica reproduced similar last-ditch heroics just minutes later. Fleming made a brilliant block, and the rebound was headed against the bar. As the ball fell to a Saint, a goal seemed inevitable, but from somewhere a red leg stretched forth and the danger was somehow averted. The only other chance created by the home side came when their centre forward escaped the clutches of centre half Groom, but the be-gloved Supremo was once again on hand, rushing from his line quick enough to put the striker off.

Fitness appeared much improved as Logica continued the second half in confident mood. Gautam and Taylor were still winning the majority of ball in the middle of the park, and Richmond and Groom were looking solid at the back, ably assisted by Hatton Minor and Mainwaring. St Anselms had moved their number six up front at the interval, but Groom appeared equal to the task, making a number of important tackles.

It was not long before Logica took the lead. Another huge, arrowed long throw from Craig Taylor was again glanced on by Abbott. Gautam had read the flick, and powered in a header that crashed back off the bar. But Banoub was in the right place at the right time, and turned the ball home despite the close attentions of a defender (1-0). Surely Logica were in the driving seat now?

For a while they remained so, but then a smidgen of bad luck turned the match. St Anselms number six attacked at pace, but Groom tracked him all the way before getting in a good tackle. Unfortunately the ball ricocheted off another defender back into the path of the Saint. He exploited this piece of good fortune to the full, smashing the ball into the corner of the goal from the edge of the box (1-1). As Logica reeled from this body blow, Saints seized their chance. They won a corner, and a dangerous cross found three of their players lining up unmarked at the far post, one of whom had the simplest of tasks to nod home (1-2).

Logica struggled for a while to recover from this double whammy. But just as they began to get their game together again, St Anselms added a killer third. There seemed little danger as the right winger bumbled about on the bye-line, but somehow his hopeful and mis-hit cross spooned up over defender and keeper at the near post, and a surprised striker again had an easy task of heading into an unguarded goal (1-3).

The game was up for Logica, and although they kept their heads up in the last quarter of an hour and played some good football, they could not pull back a goal that might have offered real hope. So St Anselms moved five points clear of Logica, and we now just have two games left. The Sportobello fixture yet to be scheduled will now provide our last hope of salvaging something from the season.

As some of the players supped a baleful ale or two in The Falcon after the match, the question was asked why a club with as many good players as ours has been sucked into such a consistent downward spiral. Some very constructive suggestions were proffered, and a bevy of mandarins are already scurrying about Logica HQ even as you read this, preparing a Five Point Plan to resurrect this great club's fortunes.