Old Ducks quacked thier way down the right

By Fran Thomas

First Vets are still looking for their first win of the season after this 2-2 draw in a game marred by over-fussy refereeing. We played some excellent flowing football in the first half and Sean Murray was unlucky to see his header rebound off the crossbar - shades of last week...Apart from a brave save from Turner at the feet of an opponent the defence was untroubled and new boy Peckham held the ball up well, combining promisingly with Cain. We finally took a deserved lead when a ball from Lees to pass to Mergim. Mergim's firm forward header was flicked on by Peckham for Cain to slot coolly past the keeper.

(Traditionalists will be pleased to hear that Willy duly uttered his immortal 'it's 0-0 lads, come on!')

Disappointingly however we seemed to lose our way in the second half and first of all Old Ducks quacked their way down the right, virtually passing the ball into the net, and then scored a truly magnificent and unstoppable free kick after a hand ball. How would our captain respond to this setback? In the only way possible of course by bringing on Thomas in his pivotal role as non-tackling right-back, and indeed he promptly played no part whatsoever in Mergim's stunning equaliser, a rasping drive from the edge of the box.

At the end of the day we can take some positives from this performance up and down the country but all credit to the opposition innit.

Team: Turner, Lees, Mulholland, Nevin, Martiniello, Bajraktari, Dixson, Murray, Swartjes, Cain, Peckham
Subs: Egerton (Murray 35), Thomas (Lees 60)
Goals: Cain, Mergim (beauty)
MoM: Mergim