Following defeat in the opening game of the season, the Unicorns hosted another side with an established development programme, Burnt Ash, for our first home game. The lads came into the match-day with good spirits, aiming to bring the good parts of our game from the previous week - working hard and positivity, with an ambition to win, to score and to get a clean sheet - little did they know what the day would bring.

Despite the opposition being a development team, most of their squad had long left any notion of being development players behind, though the Unicorns too were ably supported by a strong spine of experience. The game started - the Unicorns dominating from the off. Captaining onfield this week - Oliver played a domineering role in the centre of the pitch, driving the ball forward, but also chasing back. Soon, he was attacking through the centre of the field and striking a ball goal bound, before it being stolen by Stuart "Stu" Marnham to score the Unicorns first goal of the season. Again, shortly after, Oliver did the same again, this time an even stronger shot - probably goal bound, so much so that as Stu deflected this one, it rose to a higher elevation than Windmill Hill. Then Oliver got his chance, driving into the D, taking on the keeper, before being fouled by the padded giant, and Umpire McManus indicated a penalty stroke. There was no hesitation in who was going to take it, and Oliver had no hesitation in slotting it away, low in the corner to the keepers right hand side. The Unicorns headed into half-time with a 2-0 lead, and the opposition offering very little threat. Anything they did throw at us, Tom - who begged for another game at centre back, and Allan "Chuckie" Sains just mopped up and moved the ball on.

At half-time, the boys were given a breakdown of their high quality play, and asked to try something new, to stretch the opposition, and that's just what they did. Here, our development team moved the ball in every direction - up, down, round, and out to the sides - our full backs always open to receive the ball and move it on. With the increased level of possession, the team moved forward, but this gave the opposition an opportunity to at first keep one, and then two forwards to goal hang. Two opportunities did fall their way, but stand in keeper Dr Cooke kept them at bay. Having practised some short corners at training on Tuesday, the boys hand an opportunity to do it for real, this one a shot that was deflected upwards by a Burnt Ash defender, looping over everyone and destined to cross the line. In doing so, Navtej Tung cheered with joy, only for the ball to be cleared at the last second by the defence, much to the amusement and heckles of our onlooking 1st XI squad - donut of the day clearly awarded, and they let him know about it after the game! Never mind, goals 3, 4, and 5 all followed. The first by James "Jimbo" Bonner, assisted by Stu, the next for Oliver for his second of the day, assisted by Edward, and then a second for Jimbo, again assisted by Oliver. As the game progressed, more and more of the team got into the game - Edward working hard all game long, and Jacob really coming into the game and running rings around the opposition in the last quarter of the game, but unable to finish his moves with a goal - something to work towards in the future. In the midfield and defence, everyone continued to work hard, with Manraaj, Yuvan and Himanish all having plenty of touches and tackles to stop any semblance of an attack, and Dylan and Jasper all playing their part.

The game finished 5-0, and the boys came off satisfied, knowing more was in the tank. Celebrating the result back in the club house to a burger and potato wedges, and a jug of Pepsi, the boys voted Oliver Attacker of the Day - though this was only secured through a tense game of Rock, Paper, Scissiors against Jacob, who secured an equal number of votes. Tom was again voted Defender of the Day - a unanimous vote.

Next week, the Unicorns visit K Sports Development at the Thomas Aveling School in Chatham.