Arch rivals grab a point...........
It was a hot summer evening when the Classics visited South Surrey to play their old rivals, and sometimes bogey team, Peace Arch. The Classics were on a run of six straight victories and were hoping to build on that platform. The encounter was an even affair with several early chances falling to the Classics but none of them being converted.

The Classics eventually took the lead in the 20th. minute after some good work on the right hand side by Tom Lowe. The ball came to Bruce Cook who released an excellent through ball for Mike Snow who easily beat the keeper for his first goal of the season. Minutes later Jim Eden was desperately unlucky with a free kick which came back off the cross bar. The ball rebounded to the feet of Chris Arcari but the clubs leading goalscorer fluffed the chance and the ball flew wide of the mark. The defence was holding strong and the Classics left the field at half time a goal to the good.

The second half was evenly balanced with chances coming at both ends. A mid half defensive switch saw Rick Geary move to centre back to partner Ray Marrington which released Dave Moore (pictured) to play as an attacking full back. An early attack resulted in Moore dazzling two Peace Arch defenders in a run which had the crowd gasping. Moore pushed the ball round the first defender and then chipped over the full back and set him off on a run to the dead ball line. Without support in the box he had no option other than to shoot but unfortunately the shot was not as spectacular as the run. Minutes later Moore was at it again. Moore was playing with poetry in his boots but this time his final ball to Cook was too high and another chance went begging.

Peach Arch got a goal back on the hour after a tame shot deceived Garry Hackel and the fumbled save fell to a grateful Peach Arch attacker who finished easily to level the game. Eden was again unlucky when a shot beat the goalkeeper only to strike the upright and bounce away to safety. Peace Arch had a penalty appeal turned down when ex-Classics player Ross Thomas went on a run into the box but Moore came in with a perfect challenge. Thomas' theatricals were not enough to convince the referee that a penalty should be awarded and a dead ball was the resulting decision. With time running out the Classics pushed everyone forward to try for the winner but it wasn’t to be and Peace Arch held on for a deserved draw.

Overall it was not a good performance, a fact echoed by the post match comments that Moore was the “Man of the Match”, a comment that the author wishes not to elaborate on. In the end, it doesn’t matter whether you win or lose....until you lose!

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"You Were Crap" award: G. Hackel