To the victor the spoils. Barely.

Barely Athletic 2 Hill Farm 1

Goal: Steve Pinnell

Defence: Andy Lillford, Quentin Alsop, Joe 'Danny' Daniel, Tom Pinnell

Midfield: Manrouf Chanfi, Jim Fry, Rich Jackson, Sam Morrison

Attack: Nick Ambler, Ioan Williams

Subs: Dan Hird, Rich Sloper.

After a prolonged stand-off over whether to use the flat pitch or the one on a camber, these teams kicked off on the latter, having been told not to play alongside some minors enjoying a game that was, frankly, a lot better quality than this one. Having played on Sunday the pre-match talk was all about who was aching the most, hardly a great omen for some quality football.

Sure enough, anyone watching the opening ten minutes might have thought they were witnessing the birth of a soccer-rollerball hybrid, as the teams kicked the ball into each others shins around the centre circle to no great effect. Barely's misgivings about their play were only matched by the relief that, at this stage at least, Hill Farm were performing no better. In truth the team in red shaded the first fifteen minutes as Barely performed their traditionally sluggish opening routine, but Steve wasn't tested in goal due to the superlative reading and intercepting of Quentin and Danny.

Barely, as is their wont, finally got some moves going with Andy and Mani linking up well down the left, and Tom making his habitual bursts down the right. But the final product wasn't there, and Barely were reduced to speculative efforts that the Hill Farm keeper was equal to - Jim's long-range chip being pushed over the crossbar and Ioan's overhead effort producing the same result. Barely couldn't capitalise on the corners. The closest they came to a goal was when a mis-hit ball bobbled between the legs of a defender and found it's way to Nick's feet, one on one with the keeper. As surprised as anyone, Nick still managed to get a shot away, but the keeper saved. At the other end Hill Farm carved out a couple of openings but had the same lack of killer instinct as Barely. The most dramatic moment of the first half came when an unfortunate Hill Farm player twisted his knee and had to hobble off.

At half-time Jim rang the changes in an effort to shake the team out of it's lethargy - a plan of ambition and optimism, almost akin to tipping someone out of their wheelchair in the hope they'll walk again. Nick took to the sticks and Steve took his place up front alongside Dan, who replaced Ioan, whilst Mani took a turn on the bench for Rich Sloper. Sam and Tom also agreed to rotate full-back and right wing duties, which played out it's own sub-plot later on. Everyone agreed that Barely should win this game, the opposition weren't much cop, and in the opposite camp no doubt an identical conversation was taking place.

Hill Farm started the second half on top and Barely couldn't get going. But Hill Farm's long ball game was meat and drink to Quentin and Danny, who can read the game with a casualness that others read cereal boxes over breakfast. But at the other end it still wasn't happening, and Barely had to rely on Nick's safe handling more than once as Hill Farm began taking pot shots when they found the space. The game looked destined for a scrappy draw.

Then with ten minutes left, possibly in a covert bid to be relieved the full-back role, Sam swung a tired leg at a free-kick in his own half and promptly gave the ball away. Two quick passes later and the ball was goal-bound. Danny's despairing foot slowed it, Nick pushed it along the line, but Hill Farm were there to boot it over. Game over.

Or was it? Steve had other ideas, and he wasn't about to be distracted from them by Bob's offer of taking his place for the last ten minute - eyewitnesses said afterwards his meaty fist narrowly missed Bob's chin. With five minutes to go, Tom set Steve away down the right. Steve pounded his way into the box and swept in a low ball for Mani (back on for Jim) to clip past the keeper at the far post. 1-1, and Barely finally moved up into third gear. Could they snatch a dramatic winner? Cue Steve: again darting down the right, another low ball at speed, and this time Pinnell Junior was there at the near post to sidefoot in for the latest of late winners. There was some initial debate about whether Pinnell Senior was offside, but Jim vouched for him being level with the man on the far side of the pitch. They don't call him 'honest Jim' for nothing and Barely could celebrate with clean conscience when Bob blew for full-time.

To put the tub-thumping to one side, neither side really deserved to win this game as neither really produced a vintage performance, though both had their moments. But Barely will take the points nonetheless, and Steve Pinnell took the man of the match award for his dramatic late impact. Next game, however, they will hope the fatigue that gripped them against Hill Farm will be absent, as a similar performace would probably see them trounced by Nailsea Old Boys. Let's hope that they get more than three days rest between now and then.