The brewers took the scalp of newly crowned premier league champions, Winchester City, thanks to an 80th minute goal from 17 year old youth team striker Luke Perkins who came on as a substitute for Steve Brown in the fifth minute after he suffered a broken nose (and then on his way to Basingstoke hospital) from a challenge by the Winchester keeper that didn't even earn a free kick! Brown had chased a delightful pass through by Ryan Ayling to nod the ball passed the advancing keeper only to be met with a high five body check.

Later (after the match) the referee said he thought there had simply been a 'coming together'. I asked him if there had been such a coming together in midfield with one player in mid air, feet and knees to the front, both arms outstretched toward the other player, who was trying to round him, and contact had been made resulting in a broken nose would he have given a free kick? No reply! (Lets just reflect, during the same conversation, on the near side linesman's comment...'I wouldn't have been surprised if a penalty had been awarded.)

To add insult to injury after Luke Perkins had been sequentially fouled three times by the touchline in the 89th minute and no free kick awarded, Scott Sanderson swung out a leg at the offending Winchester defender and received a straight red card. 'If he (Luke Perkins) had gone down I'd have awarded a free kick each time' was the referee's after match comment. Since when do you have to fall for an offence to be committed? I've checked the FA rules and none such exists.

So it was sweet justice that the same young Like Perkins on 80 minutes cutely back heeled from two yards a stabbed shot following a corner to earn the victory. Indeed there is a God up there!