Team News:- Having not played for 2 weeks sharpness was going to be the main question mark with training also being disrupted by the cold snap. 3-5-2 with a pretty unchanged line-up, but Owen came back in for the missing Kirk and Lennie dropped to the bench for Gary Benson to start up top.

It was a big game against Herongate who started just one place above the Rams, and with Leytonstone and Roydon both presented with winnable fixtures, 3 points were vital. A good start was not what the team got off to. Marv delayed releasing the ball until their centre forward ended up in posession, 1-0. How would the team react? The ball was kept on the deck and the side grew and grew with chances coming in due course. After several efforts coming close, Gary Benson got the ball 25 yards out and with time and space, picked out the top corner. The defence of late had kept two clean sheets in prior games, so once they had adapted to Herongate looking for the channels and exploiting their pace Rams took the upper hand. There was plenty of width to the side's shape, with Dan "the transporter" Brown, distributing to both wing backs well. More chances came but goals did not. The second half saw the lads attacking away from the bell end meaning the 'Gate had the sun in their eyes. After an early spurt from the away side, the manager made a change bringing on returning player Purcell to replace Smithy. The impact was instant as Sam tapped home a Chip free kick which caused confusion amongst both attack and defence!! The away side then capitulated with the game opening up for Gary Benson to bag three more well taken goals and Lennie getting off the mark this season with a "strikers" finish!!

A good performance and win - a game the 1's would've drawn in 2008 rather than capitalise on the oppositions weaknesses - but with both bottom teams winning it's vital OC's get the same treatment next week!