An appalling first half performance brought Logica's recent run of fine form to an abrupt end. In a vital game against fourth placed St.Anselms, the team gave the upper hand to the visitors who duly punished them with three strikes before the interval. A dramatic improvement after the break, inspired by debutante French substitute Sandric Loriot, could have turned things around, but eventually that first half deficit proved too big a mountain to climb, and a couple of breakaway goals for the Saints put the result beyond doubt.

Both teams knew the importance of this match. A victory for third placed Logica would close the three point gap on the top two teams Pump House and Archers, who coincidentally faced each other on the adjacent pitch. The outlook of St.Anselms, one place and two points behind Logica, was summed up by a loud rallying cry from their skipper midway through the first half. "How can these be above us in the table? They're shit!"

The home side did their best to prove this statement factually correct during this first forty-five minutes. Second to every ball, unable to maintain possession when it did come their way, it was as if Logica had suffered a collective case of vertigo now that they had reached the heady heights of third slot. Saints dominated from the off, and having had practically nothing to do during his first three games, new keeper Lee Pendleton was suddenly asked to work overtime. His first job showed he was equal to the task, as he raced from his line to block a shot from a forward left with a clear run on goal.

Whilst Logica posed little threat offensively apart from a weak Abbott header from a Richmond free kick, and a number of promising gallops from Brown down the right flank, their defence was under fairly constant pressure. They did well, and apart from that Pendleton save, Anselms were unable to carve out any clear cut opportunities early on. But on twenty-five minutes, Logica did fall behind in disappointing circumstances. A deep corner curled with the wind and appeared to be going out for a goal-kick beyond the far post. As a number of Logica defenders began to appeal, arms in air, a Saints player leapt high and headed back across goal, and the ball was deflected into the goal by the outstretched arm of Pendleton (0-1).

A second goal arrived from another Saints corner. This one was arrowed dangerously to the near post. The ball just cleared Hatton and was somehow bundled off a forward's knee between the legs of Pendleton from close range (0-2). As half time approached, Logica continued to struggle and conceded a killer third goal at that psychologically critical time. It was Fleming who appeared to have averted the danger, covering back with a well timed tackle, but his clearance ricocheted cruelly back off a forward and across the six-yard box, leaving a colleague with a simple tap-in (0-3).

At the interval, injured Supremo Groom decided to introduce Loriot for his first taste of English football with Logica. The Frenchman oozed class, showing composure on the ball, strength in the tackle, and dominance in the air. From the left-side of midfield he inspired his new colleagues to demonstrate far more determination and suddenly Logica looked a different side. It was now they who applied the pressure and Saints started to lose their cool a bit.

After an amazing goal-mouth scramble in which Abbott, Taylor and Hoyland all had shots blocked on the line, Logica did manage to pull a goal back. And it was Loriot who was both creator and executor. He played a lovely through-ball for Hoyland to chase, tempting keeper and defender into desperate sliding challenges. The ball ran loose and there was the Frenchman following up with a crisp side-foot from 30 yards which beautifully dissected the gap between the left-hand post and the flailing Saints keeper (1-3).

Logica tried to press home their dominance, and continued to stretch the visiting defence. Taylor and Gautam were in charge in midfield, and the captain in particular was starting to demonstrate his creative excellence. The chance to pull back a second goal should have arrived with a clear-cut penalty. A speedy break down the right found Hoyland darting into the box, and as the ball broke from a tackle, a Saints defender blatantly clawed the ball away from the forward's possession with an outstretched arm. The referee honestly stated that he could not see the incident and the linesman (the St.Anselms manager) declined to intercede on Logica's behalf.

As Logica pressed forward in search of a goal that would get them back into the match, they were always liable to be vulnerable to the counter-attack. A quick counter-offensive found the home side out-numbered at the back and as Richmond came across with a sliding tackle, he was a split second too late and down went the forward. The penalty was duly despatched (1-4).

With nothing to lose now, the reds continued to attack. Gautam saw one twenty-five yard shot dip just inches over the bar, but shortly was embarking on another powerful run past two defenders. As he approached the penalty box he slipped a quick pass to substitute Banoub, who for once had beaten the offside trap. Turning sharply, Banoub unleashed a powerful shot which beat the keeper but crashed back off the underside of the bar. Luckily, Hoyland was on hand to bundle the rebound over the line under challenge from keeper and defender (2-4).

Logica's positive play was unnerving the visitors, and they were becoming increasingly agitated. Loriot's excellent touches were doing most to worry Anselms, and he seemed to be fouled at almost every turn. Finally one player lost his cool completely and kicked out at the Frenchman off the ball but right in front of the referee. Out came the red card, but despite a numeric advantage time was running out for Logica and their last chance came when a pass inside the full-back by Gautam freed Hoyland. The Yorkshireman took his time in lining up a shot, but the Saints keeper did well to block with his feet.

As if to rub salt into the wound, Anselms broke almost immediately to add a fifth. A hoofed clearance found their substitute in the clear, and he calmly rounded Pendleton before slotting home (2-5). The win sees St.Anselms leapfrog over Logica into third place, and it was the home side's first half performance that clearly did the damage. At least a revitalised second period, and an impressive debut from Loriot, gives the team something to build on for next week's big match against Archers.