Home sweet home for the vets as we returned to fortress Brittania for our AFA cup tie against Old Latymerians.Based in Twickenham,our guests today represent the old boys association of the Latymer school in west London.Founded in 1624 by EdwardLatymer to provide education and clothing for"eight poore boyes"of Hammersmith.
It's alumni includes jazzer Cliff Townshend(Pete's dad),
who was expelled for playing his saxomophone at adult parties where alcohol and cigarettes were present..(the horror!!)..as well as former England wing Dan Luger,chef Heston Blumenthal and the idiot for whom waking up next to Liz Hurley every morning didn't bring quite enough joy into his life...Hugh Grant.But with yearly fees at around £16k,there aren't many "poore boyes" of Hammersmith leap-frogging through it's gates these days.
Old Lats play in a seven team Sunday league over in the wild west.Their playing record last year read p12 w5 d5 l5,we had the feeling that they don't play as regularly as we do and that would give us the edge over an unknown quantity.
We welcomed back Gary Doodes in goal,although he was still nursing his sore ribs,but a couple of Martins magic Persians soon had him in a pain free Nirvana.The gaffer also had the luxury of a full compliment of 16 to select from,so we were in a confident mood at the kick-off.From the start it was clear we were up against a decent side and in the opening 15 mins the game was open,end to end stuff,with both sides going close.However it was the greens who broke the deadlock,Bazza feeding a slide rule pass to Taj on the edge of the box who turned his marker to set MARTIN TREADWAY who made no mistake with a firm finish across the 'keeper..1-0..This would normally be the cue for us to step off the gas a little,today though,we kept the tempo and a second quickly followed TAJU OYEDEJI latching on to fine pass from MT to finish clinically..2-0..Old Lats were reeling,and we took a stranglehold on the game.Again Martin turned provider,his pinpoint cross met on the full by DARREN FOSS,whose sweet left foot volley gave the 'keeper no chance..3-0..Cue the TAJU show.First off getting vital touch on a low ball for his second and our fourth,then completing a first half hat-trick with a close range header.The race for the golden boot is underway. H-T...5-0.
For a change there wasn't a lot to be said at the break, though a few changes were made to give the subs some match time.We expected the visitors to play for pride in the second half,yet the game had barely re-started when they presented us goal number six,all wrapped up in a big shiny bow.Some dawdling on the edge of the area allowed arch pickpocket TONY GRAVES to nick the ball and usher it into an empty goal..6-0...Fair play to Old Lats they kept going,whereas we never got back into the rhythm of the first period.In goal Doodesy was called into action a few times,tipping a goal bound shot round the post.By now the effect of the drugs had worn off,so this act turned out to be quite painful.Despite the lead we had built up,it was disappointing to concede as we did,but hats off to Lats for keeping at it...6-1.By now the game resembled two different sessions of attack and defence.And the six goal margin was soon restored when HILARY FRANCIS rose like a salmon at the far post to head home from a corner...7-1..We created a few more chances before the final whistle,Darren's superb goal bound volley,brilliantly palmed round the post by the keeper.The sporting nature of the game personified by Trevor's enthusiastic appreciation of the Latymer No.1,though I think he may have had an ulterior motive.

Final Score: HALE END ATHLETIC 7
                     OLD LATYMERIANS 1
Man of the Match:  TAJU OYEDEJI