Well, the Opta stats show that possession was 50-50, but some greater zip in attack allowed Nomads to come away with our second 5-0 win of the season. We exploited the full width and height of the pitch more effectively than our opposition, and when we got our act together near the 23 we were able to get their defence turning and to create chances through some good quick ball movement. The scoreline left both us and our opposition scratching our heads a little, but in the end this result underscored the value of being able to move the ball quickly.

The day began not too promisingly, with a long discussion with Dan in the car on the way over as to how we might best organise a team made up of 1 attacker, 6 defenders and 3 wide midfielders, and a substitute who may or may not be able to get to the game in time. Chris was persuaded to give it a go at centre-midfield, on the basis that none of the older players were fit enough to play there for a full game, so if he could manage 15-20 minutes we would do our best to swap it round if it wasn't working. The attack problem was sorted by the skipper announcing that he would put himself up front, to the sound of much mirth around the changing room. Pointing out that 2 seasons ago I was the side's top scorer with no fewer than 5 (five!) goals, three of which came in one game, did not help. However, Napoleon always liked his generals to be lucky, and I think we can all agree now that these were two masterstrokes of tactical genius, following which Kettering never stood a chance.

The game began pretty evenly, and with Chris very quickly making us wonder why he had ever played anywhere else than centre-midfield. He was here, he was there, he was every bloody where, and provided a good deal of control to match his hard work. On a day when most of us were wilting in unseasonal late Summer heat long before the end, he kept us moving and made a massive difference to our performance. Maybe I will play someone else at left back next week.

The game was even, but Nomads were getting closest to a goal. Chances came and went at both ends, then finally we put a move together which resulted in Will putting a ball through to an unmarked attacker on the left of the D. The details from there are sketchy, but included a shot, a save, 5 players in a heap at the far post, a horizontal Chris stretching out from the ruck and contriving to hit the post from 6 inches out, before snaffling the rebound and nudging it 2 inches over the line before it was desperately cleared by a Kettering defender. 1-0 from the least clinical finish you will see if you live to be 150. But a goal it was, and let's face it you get no more credit for slamming the backboard than you do for trickling it over the line.

The second came shortly before half time, with another pass from Will finding the skipper in the D, who controlled, pirouetted and shot in one movement of sublime poise, balance and grace. The keeper got enough of the shot to slow it down somewhat, but not enough to prevent it from bobbling slowly into the far bottom corner. All of which resulted in the unconventional cry of "yes, er . . . . yes!!" from the scorer. But no-one in the Nomads changing room was tittering now. A bit less anyway.

2-0 at half-time, and so far so good for the men in the orange away kit. The message was not to get carried away, a 2 goal lead could rapidly be overturned, but mainly to just keep doing what we were doing and more goals would come. And so we did and so they did. We probably did not play as well in the second half but we did gain more tangible result from it, most likely in both cases because both sides were tiring. Sydney had thankfully helicoptered in from Ipswich, but the plan to bring him in at centre-mid was hastily revised to put him up front with Will so that Chris could remain in place. If it ain't broke . . .

We continued to play some nice hockey, and probably killed the game after about 10 minutes by going further ahead. Can't remember if it was Julian or Will, but someone played a pin-point pass into the D for Chris, who showed the value of getting away a quick shot by firing it under the advancing keeper for 3-0. If that was certainly an aesthetic improvement on the previous two goals, the fourth was an absolute peach. The skipper won a reverse stick tackle in midfield, moved it on quickly to Dan, who initiated a move of 4 or 5 quick and clinical passes which resulted in Julian putting it in at the back post. Playing simple hockey is very difficult, but when it comes together like that it really does look like the easiest game in the world. All of which capped off another excellent performance from Julian at right midfield.

The fifth was a short corner which reinforced at least two very important Nomads traditions. First and foremost, we only score from corners when the injection is complete toilet. Dan duly obliged by dribbling it out only just fast enough to reach Rob before the defenders, and completely on the wrong side for him to trap it for me. So up he sprung, slipped it right to Will, received the return pass and drilled it goalwards. The keeper got down well to block, but it looped up and over him and looked dangerously like it might drop into the goal. Now as we all know, Rob already scored his goal for this decade last season, and here was a serious danger of him destroying the natural balance of the universe by adding a second. All of which was going through my mind as I ran behind the keeper, and it seemed safest to just volley it down into the backboards. The office of captain comes with responsibilities, and keeping Rob to one goal per decade is just one of the burdens I must bear.

So, another win, very well played everyone, but particular mention for our three juniors Chris, Julian and Will. Not as many as we are used to having, but the three of you made a massive difference on Saturday and fully contributed to a very good win. Nine league wins on the bounce now: how far can this run go?