Yellow socks still has a touch of class.

I thought I was making a decent effort in returning to the sky blue city to play for the SBA. However, it pales into insignificance when compared with Jesper's trek from the tundra of Scandinavia (or is it summer up there?) to make a welcome return, only to be rewarded by Ali telling him he'd got to play in centre mid alongside Russ!

Starting team to face Net Baloos
Nets - Peterborough Myton
Right back - Tiger Tim
Left Back - debutant Adey (in desperate need of an SBA nickname...)
Centre halves - Big John McCutch and Britney the ex-sweeper
Centre mid - Big Russ Cassidy and Jesper Yellow Socks Bøss
Right mid - Banjocabs
Left mid - Young, thin, good Dan (as opposed to old, fat, useless, hirsute Dan who's off scaring people in Japan)
Up front - Brigadier Dave Beidas and Sam Edwin Van Cledwyn

All joking aside, we started brightly and the experience in centre midfield showed through with Jesper snuffing out all Blues' attacks and Russ playing good simple football to our tricky wingers.

Young Dan opened the scoring with a speculative effort from about 20 yards that Baloos' keeper probably wouldn't like to see again - but he hit it well and I wouldn't like to stand in the way of one of his shots. By this time, Adey at left back was playing out of his skin and winning everything in the air and on the ground, and linking up well on the left with young Dan and the rest of the midfield.

Up front, the Brigadier somehow contrived to miss two absolute sitters before sticking away a quality header that was easily the hardest chance of his lot.

I'm not sure that Jesper claimed the next goal, another shot from distance by young Dan, but he certainly made a great run into the box to get in front of the keeper, and deserves it for his overall performance - match reporter's right and I don't think there will be anyone arguing...

Mostly stout in defence, with the aforementioned Adey shoring us up, although Colonel B still made a couple of fine saves towards the end of the half to keep us on the straight and narrow.

Half time SBA 3 - Net Baloos 0

Second half, Baloos brought on some different players - in fact, they got a bit over-excited with bringing subs on and had 12 on the pitch at one stage. This made absolutely no difference to the way the match was going and SBA stormed into a 4-0 lead with some neat play around the box (i.e. I wasn't watching) resulting in Sam Cledwyn to add to his collection of SBA goals. This was all too much for my Dad on the sidelines (a bit of an avid Bluenose) and he departed for a drinking establishment in Small Heath as fast as he could.

At this point, Ali rang the changes and brought in the cavalry, in the form of Peter Myton heading into the distance up front, John McCutch dropping into nets and Joe Mac replacing Russ, with Jesper making way for midfield Mick.

This had an immediate (and not exactly positive) effect, with some tomfoolerous, disorganised football from us and a spawny scrambled goal from them. I probably could have stopped the shot on the line but didn't fancy the dental bill and a trip back to Scotland in an ambulance.

This gave us a kick up the backside and we got forward a bit more towards the end as Baloos tried gamely to get back in the game. Colonel B scored two 1-yard, toe-poked, tap-ins from Banjo's excellent right wing antics as spaces started to open up in the Brummie back line.

We had a hatful of chances throughout the game and could easily have ended up with a scoreline of about 10-3 but for some good work from respective custodians.

Final Score - SBA FC 6 - Net Baloos 1

Shooters and rooters. With so many excellent performances, it's difficult to choose a shooter. However, I've chickened out and gone for 2 of them. Adey at left back for a fantastic 90 minute performance, on his SBA debut - hopefully the first of many appearances for us. Also, it would be severely remiss of me not to say a massive well done to Jesper who had a stormer in the middle of the park on his triumphant return to Cov. Nice one lads.

The rooter is also a bit tricky. I suppose it will have to go to Peterborough Myton for having the gall to keep a 60 minute clean sheet before heading into the sunset and bagging himself a pair of goals up front. Rooter.

Thanks as ever to Net Baloos - a great bunch of lads who play their football in the same spirit as us.

See you all in Nottingham on Saturday. My marital happiness depends on this weekend so we'd better bloody pull something out of the bag at the City Ground...

Britney.