The new GFSN National League season got going for BRIGHTON BANDITS FC in Leeds. The conditions were just short of terrible (including some of the Referee's decisions). The BANDITS began the tie playing up the slope & kicking into the very strong wind. In the opening twenty minutes or so we were struggling to keep possession & Yorkshire Terriers came very close to opening the scoring, but some instinctive stops from the BANDITS keeper kept the score level.

Then the first shocking decision came in the direction of the visitors, when the Terriers striker (who could not have been more offside) put the hosts 1 - 0 up. The BANDITS were furious with the Referee, who had given the linepersons (no point in giving them the correct title in this report) the instructions not to give the offside decisions... he would do this on his own. I'm not sure how the hell it is possible to be in line with the defenders from the centre circle!

The Terriers to their credit were controlling the tempo & it was not long before the home side went 2 - 0 up, this time to complete their best move of the tie & ensure they ended the opening period with their net still empty.

The BANDITS discussions were simple... forget the terrible decisions & get out there... wise words from Lee Towsey. The BANDITS were slow to get going & it took them sixty-four minutes to net their first, when Matt Haywood's excellent pin-point corner met the skull of the returning Aidie Norman & went in off the underside of the woodwork (I know it's not wooden ... it just sounds better).

Then the next moment of controversy hit us, when the Referee's decision to give a corner to the home side (when it should have been our free-kick on the edge of our own box) led to the Terriers scoring their third (this reminded me of the 'Gooners' scoring from the corner whilst Portsmouth were still sleeping in recent weeks).

This being the BANDITS first encounter since April saw the side tiring very quickly in the closing minutes, when just four minutes before the end of the ninety, Jamie Harper distributing possession out wide to me, led to my mis-hit cross going up & over the Terriers keeper & into the net despite his best efforts.

Not the best opening result, but some unique mentions must go out to Ben Ede who played very well up to the point where he broke his nose, Matt Haywood for covering acres of ground in very tiring conditions & new signing Matt Rolph who played well on his debut.