Logica crashed out of the Big Ron Cup at the hands of Third Division Invictus in the cruellest way, falling to an erroneously awarded penalty late doors. But, just like last week, they really only have themselves to blame, having spurned a plethora of chances that should have resulted in a comfortable passage into the second round.

With the late withdrawal of both and , and the late arrival of , the new Supremi at least had no selection problems with just a bare eleven available at kick-off time. Another significant change of personnel in the back line cannot be helping to establish defensive cohesiveness and understanding, although for the most part they just about dealt with a dangerous Invictus forward line, once again outstanding.

Despite some mouth-watering footballing conditions at the Stade (cool, no wind, and a bowling green of a surface), the home side were somewhat disjointed for the first half an hour. Invictus boasted some pace on the flanks and a tall, gangly centre forward from whom it was very difficult to get the ball off, but who fortunately had a penchant for over-elaboration.

The Logica passing was slow and ponderous, and possession was often wasted in promising positions. Frustration in the home ranks was palpable even at this early stage, exacerbated by the ease with which Logica carved their way through a square Invictus defence on the rare occasion that the passing clicked. After 20 minutes, made a clever run along and behind the visitor's back four, and was fed with a simple pass from into the right channel. Advancing into the box, the experienced striker weighed up his options at some length before choosing to fire weakly straight at the keeper.

Just after the half hour mark, Invictus took the lead when a long hopeful ball over the top found the home defenders leaving it to one another. The visiting forward was not so polite, eagerly latching onto the loose ball, shrugging off a challenge from , and firing past the exposed [0-1].

Remarkably, Logica responded within a minute, simply following the pattern of the earlier chance. This time it was making the run into the channel, and precisely supplying the ammunition. The Sheffielder also elected to shoot early, but got a lot more power in his effort and the Invictus keeper could only push his effort into the roof of the net [1-1].

Boosted by the goal, and spurred by the ease of it all, Logica finished the half strongly as they began to move the ball about snappily. was just inches away from heading home a cross at the near post, and the striker also had two efforts saved as the interval approached: the first a bouncing volley from outside the box, the second a weak curly effort after the ball had squirted across the penalty area.

After the break though, Logica seemed to retire into their shells, allowing the Third Division side the bulk of possession and all of the threat. That they didn't concede their traditional goal at the start of the second half was largely down to two brilliant saves. A far post header by an unmarked Invictus player seemed a certain goal until flung himself from nowhere to tip the ball away - a quite brilliant save. made another good save minutes later after a corner was headed goalwards, but was helpless when the rebound was poked past him, and thankful to see the alert hooking the ball off the line.

There was plenty of space to exploit when Logica did muster a counter-attack, but somehow the final ball was always lacking. did create himself a half-chance, nicking the ball off the centre half and charging clear. But again the finish of choice was wrong, a shot from distance causing the keeper few problems when he should have taken the ball on further. He was far more culpable minutes later, when a great pass from threaded between two defenders found him in space on the left. managed the hard part, cutting inside the covering defender, but then from 10 yards, and with the goal gaping, he somehow managed to fire his shot over the bar.

Logica were forced to pay the penalty for this profligacy with just ten minutes to go. The ball was bouncing around in their own box, and an Invictus player latched onto it and fired in a snapshot. The ball struck at point-blank range, and there was nothing he could do about it: it could in no way be deemed ball to hand. In any event, the half-Supremo later revealed that the ball hit the top of his chest, and wasn't hand-ball anyway. Unfazed, Invictus' tall number ten calmly slid home the penalty and Logica were trailing again [1-2].

Even in the short time left, Logica managed to carve out two further chances which both fell to . neatly dummied a forward pass from to send the left-midfielder clear. He shrugged off the challenge of the last defender, but his low shot somehow struck the trailing leg of the advancing Invictus keeper and the ball was scrambled clear. In the final minute, a long throw was headed on by and again allowed the ball to run on to . The Logica man hit his volley quickly as two defenders lunged at him, but again his shot was frustratingly too close to the keeper.

It was telling that complaints about the penalty decision were very half-hearted after the game. Logica knew that their destiny had been in their own hands, despite that unjust late award. At least they are now free to concentrate on the League in time-honoured fashion. And they will need to concentrate very hard, and, not to put too fine a point on it, urgently need to start taking some of the many chances that their good approach play is creating.