Logica faced Holland Club in the traditional end-of-season double-header knowing that six points would be enough to move them up to fifth place in the table. After a long delay waiting for the Dutch kit to turn up, Logica appeared to have expended too much energy in a protracted warm-up as they struggled to get going in the first half of the first match. However, they were able to move up a gear after the interval, and three second half goals achieved a comfortable victory over the team second from bottom in Division Two.

The Supremo chose to optimise his resources for this two hour marathon by selecting a squad of sixteen for the two games. The wise one opted for a strong starting XI for the first match, and Logica were soon on the offensive and creating chances. A brilliant run and cross by Taylor found Abbott at the back stick, and his volleyed pull-back fooled the Dutch keeper but a stretching Gautam could only thrash the loose ball over the bar. Minutes later the same player timed his run to perfection to meet Reevaldo's corner, but once more Gautam's header from six yards was too high.

It was soon clear that the Holland Club's main defensive strategy was an aggressive offside trap ably supported by their linesman who raised his red flag at every opportunity. Logica had been caught a number of times before Abbott sprung the trap with a looping run that kept him onside. The striker's pace was sufficient to keep Hatton's long ball in play, and Abbott was able to look up before sliding a precise pass across the box that took out the keeper and enabled McWilliam to side-foot into an empty net [1-0].

Much of the play was confined to the middle third on a bobbly pitch which did not encourage either side to play the beautiful passing game. Logica tried, and the occasional sharp interchange was too good for their opponents. Abbott repeated his trap springing run to again latch onto a long ball down the right flank. Another precise low cross found Taylor stretching to get there before the keeper, but the spin on his goalbound prod cruelly took the ball wide of the far post.

The Rossoneri looked comfortable at the back, with Hatton and Trovato majestic in the centre throughout the morning. But Logica had looked a tad lethargic at times and now they allowed a Holland forward to creep to the bye-line and pull back a low cross which was emphatically converted just inside Hoyland's near post [1-1].

This was familiar punishment for profligacy at the other end, but after strong words at the interval, Logica managed to up the tempo in the second half. After a number of frustrating offside decisions, they retook the lead with a sublime finish. Taylor was the architect this time, delivering a superb long cross from the right touchline after spotting both strikers unmarked at the far post. Abbott called for the ball, but Fazel wisely took charge and produced a prodigious leap to loop a header into the top right hand corner of the net as the keeper stood helpless [2-1].

Abbott had the ball in the net minutes later after controlling a stabbed square pass from McWilliam in a flash, and side-footing into the corner. But once again the elbow-jerk linesman had his flag raised, and even though the ball was not played forward, the referee was unfortunately not in a position to disprove this travesty. Compensation was soon at hand for the striker. Once more a ball over the top found the Dutch rearguard appealing and the red flag dutifully raised. For once, the referee was in a position to know better. Reevaldo, running from his own half, was clearly not offside and galloped clear. As the keeper advanced, the Hackney hole-merchant once again demonstrated his Corinthian credentials by unselfishly squaring to Abbott who had raced up in support, and who then had the simplest task to roll the ball into an unguarded goal [3-1].

Logica's back-line remained dominant, and Groom's replacement by Brown did nothing to reduce this ascendancy. The only scare came when Hoyland came careering out of his goal demanding "keeper's ball", only to see his attempted punch of the ball glance off his knuckles, back over his head, but fortunately wide of the goal.

At the other end, Logica looked more relaxed now with their two-goal cushion, and could even afford to smile at some offside decisions. Continued pressure even reaped a fourth goal, created via a classic Reevaldo dribble to the bye-line. Once again the Logica midfielder showed good vision to pull the ball back to Abbott, who was clattered just as he was about to shoot. The ball bounced free, and even though the Holland keeper called for the ball, his defender made a hash of a panicked clearance. Fazel showed no mercy, and thundered the ball into the roof of the net from all of five yards [4-1].

The first half of their morning's work was thus accomplished and fifty per cent of the points on offer were in the bag. Groom could not contain himself, excitedly babbling that Logica now had twenty-seven points, their biggest ever post-war points haul. The Gulf War, that is. Now the Supremo had five minutes to prepare his strategy for the second game of the morning.