Had the inclement weather arrived a few hours earlier the game would have been called off – but it started and playing conditions on a dull wet and windy afternoon just got worse.

It was difficult for both sides but the ‘Scholars’ struggled to play their normal footballing game and to master the deteriorating conditions.

The first opportunity fell to the ‘Scholars’ but a Michael Murray corner into the six yard box was scrambled away.

The visitors took the lead on 8 mins when a cross in from the left was miskicked by a defender allowing Ryan Cosson to force home within the six yard box – a scrappy goal for a scrappy game.

The ‘Scholars’ looked to get back on level terms but Michael Murray was not his usual clinical self in front of goal.

The second half was nearly all the home side pushing forward – boosted by the visitors having a player sent off on 67 mins - but despite a lot of hard endeavour – there seemed to be the wish for an extra touch – and when called into action the visitors keeper was able to clear – sometimes unorthodoxly - to keep his team in front.

Worthy of a point but in the end a game to move on from.

Team: Berkley Laurencin, Christopher Doyle, Andrew Lomas, Lee O’Leary, Steve Brown, Carl Pearce, George Nicholas, Billy, Adcock, Michael Murray, Ben Ward-Cochrane, Sandro Costa Dias Fernandes (Hayes Thomas 72 mins)

Subs (not used): Billy Baird, William Wambeek, James Duncan