In a thrilling contest at Waterhall, the Bandits pushed last year’s GFSN League champions GFSC Bournemouth from start to finish but couldn’t quite find an equaliser. Seeing their first action in over a month after the Leftfooters fixture was snowed off, the Bandits handed John Bryan his first start of the 2007-2008 season in midfield, moving regular midfielders Alan Bannister and Simon Hawker forward and Aidie Norman into defence to partner Steve Taylor.

Playing against the wind in the first half, the Bandits created openings, Alan harshly ruled offside early on, but Bournemouth asserted themselves and took the lead after twenty minutes. The Bandits nearly equalised immediately, Steve (this season’s only ever-present player) heading just wide from an intelligent Matt Haywood corner. It looked as though the Bandits could go into half-time level, or at worst one down, but disaster struck when they failed to clear a corner and a Bournemouth player beat goalkeeper Mark Hyndman from close range.

Reorganising, Matt brought on debutants Gavin and Stuart, and Gareth Buckell for injured Simon, and the Bandits took the game to Bournemouth, playing some of their best passing football this season. Their persistence paid when defender Paul Saunders scored a spectacular long-range goal, and the Bandits piled on the pressure. Playing three up front for the final minutes – Gareth and Jason Hall joining live-wire sub Garry Rickett, and debutant Bryony on the wing – the Bandits went close but couldn’t quite get past former Bandits goalkeeper Gary Taylor.

In many ways, the game summed up the Bandits’ season: they ran one of the League’s top teams close, relentlessly pursuing a seemingly lost cause, but ultimately failed to convert chances into goals. Nonetheless, with three commendable debuts and several key players coming back to full fitness, there remains plenty of hope for the rest of the season and beyond.

Man of the Match: Aidie Norman. A solid performance at centre-back combined with intelligent movement to support the attack.