This was a game where the Martyrs showed two sides of the same face - one capable of playing slick football in the first half and then the other that tends to make things harder than they should be, conceding early in the second half and then failing to break down a low block from the visitors.

It was a really positive opening from the home side as they pushed forward at every opportunity with Frazer Thomas forcing Max Evans into a good save in the first quarter of an hour. It was Evans who denied leading scorer Ricardo Rees in a one-on-one situation and on the stroke of half time with a full length fingertip save onto the post to deny the Martyrs a lead that they deserved. Both sides contributed to an entertaining first half with the Martyrs the most likely to open the scoring.

The Martyrs were very much in control of the game until they weren’t. The anxiety was introduced early in the second half following a short corner routine that allowed Toby Holmes to turn 180 degrees eight yards out to find the bottom corner, that had a distinct look of self sabotage at the ease of the way he was allowed to turn unchallenged.

For long periods the Martyrs pushed unsuccessfully for the equaliser as they tried time after time to thread their way through the well marshalled defensive lines. It was an effective tactic for the visitors as they pulled as many players behind the ball whenever possible, absorbed what they could and triggered the counter when appropriate.

The incessant pressure from the home side kept Evans on his toes but this still failed to produce the breakthrough. As the game reached its inevitable conclusion the second goal was almost a replica of the first as Destiny Ojo found Tony Lee who rifled the ball low and hard beyond the dive of Fuller as time ran out for the home side.