Steve "Rocket Man" Roughead explodes up the field and get ready to unleach his firepower on the DDL keeper.

Thurs 04 Sept - "You can call me a fat, balding, talentless old queen who can't sing — but you can't tell lies about me". So said Reginald Dwight, known to most as Sir Elton John, who performed such classical musical hits as Rocketman and Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting. Never one to shy away from publicity and once famously declaring that the reason he spent over US$0.5 million on flowers in twelve months was simply because he liked them, it is only appropriate that he is linked with the Old Boys Match Report. There's no suggestion that the Old Boys are fat, balding, talentless old queens, but they do have a sense of flamboyance and like to put wrongs right and have, on occasion been known to buy flowers. It was with this in mind that the Report watched the game against the Old Boys former nemesis, DDL, and quite frankly, the Report could feel the love that night, but not in that Elton John sense obviously.

Old Boys, once again resplendent in their Thistle Construction white, were keen to hit a depleted DDL side early, fearing that there star players would arrive to play at any time. Whilst this resulted in a lot of possession, there was no real penetration and this line is in no way copied from the defence attorney of Michael Barrymore. Old Boys appeared to labour in the final third and lacked the clinical finish which is normally such a strong part of the squads armoury. However, it was eat or be eaten and the Old Boys, chasing an unbeaten season, really needed to break through the spirited, but at times portly and mature defence. The opening goal, when it arrived, came from Whitaker who increasingly takes to the field as though he's been rolling like thunder under the covers before the game. Unkempt hair, angel like smile and a languid almost spent style belies the speed, vision and quick thinking that the boy possesses. It is not just the women who get taken in; the DDL 'keeper was powerless to stop his shot which, struck hard and direct from a free kick near the left hand corner, cannoned in off the bar.

Statistics can be made to say anything and 75% of people know that 62% of the time, and before this game, the talk had been about who deserved more praise; the forwards for scoring or the defence for keeping the numbers down. This game demonstrated why the defence are so important to the Old Boys team and their title challenge. Not only did they provide the goal, but the defence then collectively played such a solid performance, using a little muscle when they needed, that the prolific DDL strikers were restricted to futile and increasingly desperate efforts. With Sives making some impressive stops from shots from distance, usually not a strong facet of his game, the Old Boys appeared to be in control. However, as we know, there's more to do than can ever be done and the Old Boys, who, if the game stayed at 1-0 would win the Division, were clearly unhappy with coasting to a victory.

Midway into the second half, the Old Boys midfield embarked on the kind of kamikaze mission last seen coming out of the Western sky in Hawaii on the morning of December 7th 1941. Two needless yellow cards for hitting the roof in quick succession meant that the Old Boys were down to three outfield players against five. Expecting an onslaught, the restless warriors of the defence once more put themselves on the line. To be fair, the forwards and midfielders worked tirelessly throughout the game never letting DDL settle and clearly disrupting the smooth tempo that the opposition usually enjoyed. However, with the defenders, there was everything; passion, commitment, variety and vitality; in fact, everything the Reports first marriage wasn't. And this momentous effort was enough. DDL visibly ran out of steam as the Old Boys, with clever and consistent substitutions maintained their unbeaten run.

Sir Elton has reminded us that there's a time for everyone if they only learn. With an all time goal difference of 100 and the three points from this encounter Old Boys appear to be moving more with the twisting kaleidoscope than against and maybe it is now their time. Last season, this would have been another point or points dropped but this season it is a different mentality. Results are being ground out; one player's off game is bettered by two players best game; one bad pass is bettered by two perfect tackles; one missed shot is bettered by two more chances created; there's a new mood in the camp. The Report has been pleased to see them secure the Division but the real work starts in the play offs. It's a path unwinding, the destination of which has so far eluded the Old Boys but the journey to date has been spectacular and the results justified. Always a motley crew, the Old Boys, whilst neither kings nor vagabonds, do believe the very best.