Well, the signs didn`t look too good going into this match, with only one competitive game under our belts (a friendly defeat against today's opposition) and a paltry squad of 12 players. In contrast, the Falcons' tails were up, with impressive wins heading into the game. As the BRIGHTON BANDITS' bus pulled into Charlton Athletics' training ground, there awaited a young, confident London Falcons outfit of 16 players, clearly looking forward to playing on plastic.

And so it turned out to be. In the first half, the away side were totally overrun by the keen Falcons boys. It goes without saying that these 45 minutes of football were the worst the team has probably played, shipping in seven goals (more than they did in total during the 2005-06 championship winning season). Disorganised and in disarray, some stern words had to be said at half-time. Hurt and wounded from the first half mauling, the BANDITS came out in far more competitive mood. The second half performance had in it all that was lacking in the first; pride, passion, work-rate, working for each other and a structure which frustrated the home side and denied them any addition to their score until the final couple of minutes (when the Falcons scored a peach of a goal).