California

The brackets bloke on the BBC vidiprinter had been a busy man in recent weeks with Eversley and Californ I A. This week he could take a well deserved break. Perhaps he had a short busman's holiday at Wembley for the England v Slovenia clash and thanked his lucky stars that his current employ was more rewarding and exciting than his hobby.

The team with the longest name in youth football had made a good start to the season with new players settling in and it was our to strongest squad yet that ventured down the M3 to face a side that had scored 14, 9 and 3 goals so far this campaign.

One nil down from an unstoppable strike, Hampton clawed their way back into the game with a goal straight out of the Arsene Wenger training manual. Goalie to winger. Winger attacking his man and getting superb cross in from the bye line a couple of touches and into Leo Kinchin's path for a superbly worked equaliser.

We went into the group satisfied that we not only tamed the free scoring lions of Eversley but that we had offered up hope that we could do enough to get into the hat for the next round if we kept plugging away. And that confidence was justified early in the second half when Kaya, normally a central defender but pushed up to help us offer more goal threat from midfield, slotted a delicious shot beyond the despairing keeper. 2-1.

We have had a very tense first few weeks to the season, winning, losing or drawing games by a goal and this was going to be another nail biter. A couple of good chances for Eversley were well saved before the equaliser came. And then, with just five minutes left, they scored a winner that took the wind out of the Hampton sails. We immediately moved to three at the back but it was too little too late.

Cup exit and left to concentrate on the league and ensuring that our improvement continues.

On May 14th 1988 John Motson said that the Crazy Gang had beaten the Culture Club. That the energy and efficiency of Wimbledon in the May sunshine had destroyed them. Well, we nearly saw a repeat but just felt short in a game of fine margins.

Onwards and upwards.