Dench had suffered a surprise second straight defeat last week to The Veterans, but would have fancied their chances of getting back to winning ways this week against a Team Tom side who’d registered just the one point this season so far.

This was a Team Tom side that was not far from full strength this week, compared to other weeks where their team selection can be a little more random, and they took the lead through Aaron Crook’s second minute goal. That lead lasted 8 minutes before James Holden drew Dench level, but Tom hit back pretty much straightaway as Andy Walker put them back in front on 10 minutes. It looked like this might be the score at half time, but a late flurry of goals, two from Phil Carroll for Dench and one from Rob Jordan from Team Tom in the last three minutes of the half meant we went into the break at 3-3.

Team Tom regained their lead three minutes after the break as THE Tom, Tom Hornsby scored at the second attempt to put them 4-3 in front. James MacDonald doubled that advantage with 16 minutes remaining as Team Tom looked like inflicting a third straight defeat on Dench, but they hit back in the final 8 minutes. Jonny McAuley pulled one back, and Dan Jones grabbed an equiliser two minutes later. The turnaround looked complete when Carroll got his third with 4 minutes later to make it 6-5 to Dench, but it wasn’t over there as Jordan grabbed his second a minute from time to mean a share of the spoils in what was a cracking choice of game of the day…….

Kipsta Cobras look set for an immediate return to top flight action as they went into this weeks game with a 100% record as they rebuild their squad having lost players at the end of last season. This week they took on an El Caliente B side that you just never know what you’re going to get from (or who’s going to play for them…..).

Initially this looked like being a straightforward step towards the promised land for Kipsta as they roared into a three goal lead in the opening 5 minutes as Dillon Lowth scored two and Jack Horgan the other. El Caliente settled into the game as the half went on, helped by the fact the they quickly pulled one back through Nathaniel Odysseus-Kingsley’s goal two minutes later. By the time the break came around we found ourselves with a level game as Ryan McAndrew and Fidelis Eberegbe scored in the final 10 minutes of the period.

It was Caliente’s turn to start the second half strongly, and Eberegbe added two more alongside Kyle Sparkes finish to put them 6-3 ahead with 19 minutes left to play. Josh Schofield pulled one back for Kipsta to keep them in the hunt, but McAndrew’s second of the game 9 minutes from time put the result beyond them. Lowth completed his hat trick with 6 minutes left, but it wasn’t enough to stop Caliente picking up an impressive win.

With victory over Dench last week, The Veterans had put themselves into the unlikely position of promotion candidates this season, having struggled to survive last time around. This week was a potentially tricky clash with Exeter Gently, who ended up being able to put as strong team out on the pitch for the second week in a row.

It was The Vets who struck first as Ben Mercer gave them the lead on 4 minutes, but two goals in three minutes from Mike Belshaw and Tom Harrison turned this one in Exeter’s favour approaching the mid way point of the half. An own goal drew The Vets level before two goals in a minute from Sam Wharton and Simon Grainger meant we approached the break at 3-3. A flurry of goals in the final 7 minutes of the half put Exeter in control going into the break, Wharton with another two, Belshaw and Maison Owen the others.

Grainger’s second of the game 5 minutes into the second half reduced the Exeter lead to three, but as we headed towards the final 10 minutes Exeter still looked in comfortable control. An own goal 12 minutes from time was the catalyst for a Veterans comeback, as Dean Minshull and Paul Atherton scored to make it 7-7 with 8 minutes remaining, but they were only level for a minute as Wharton scored again to restore the Exeter lead. The same player scored his 5th of the game three minutes later to confirm the Exeter win, a victory that leaves them a point off second place with games in hand on the other teams. They join The Veterans on 6 points as they drop a place to 4th.