HANDSAKER 1 LUFFS 1 (01/04/02) This was a marginally better performance from Loughborough but this game needed the hand of a strict set of officials and they were not forthcoming. Handsaker had already upset the league leaders Rugby and it was easy to see why, they niggled and moaned their way into the lead and only a moment of magic from O'Callaghan gave Loughborough a share of the points. Loughborough should have taken the lead in the first minute as a corner found Carl Sprinthorpe unmarked but he headed wide with the goal at his mercy. From then on the game disintegrated into a stop-start nonsense with neither side looking capable of stringing three passes together. Lee gave Gunn a half chance which found the side netting and Rogers hit a wild shot, there was not a lot to write home about from either side. The second half looked better, Loughborough began to pick up their game and O'Callaghan had his shot blocked and Lee wasted the rebound. Pattenden's free kick tested Handsaker's Blunt but the tall keeper took the ball comfortably. There was some good pressure from Loughborough at last but just as they looked to be returning to form Handsaker did what Northfield had done, catching the Loughborough defence standing and watching from a corner. With this game there was time enough for Loughborough to retrieve something from a miserable performance, but it took some special to do it. Handsaker had their goal lead, but they were talked out and Loughborough pushed them back on the defence and both O'Callaghan and Rogers had shots cleared off the line. With time running out O'Callaghan latched onto a loose ball on the edge and it flew into the top corner giving Blunt no chance at all. It was perhaps worth waiting for over these two Easter games but it is not the spectacular that was needed at this stage of the season it was a couple of victories and they were not forthcoming. Not a cup of tea, biscuit, fairy cake or chip butty to be had anywhere, and couple that with a poor display from the officials and players it was reminiscent of Sunday league football, in fact I vow never to speak offensively of Sunday football again, perhaps the prospect of not getting promoted and having to return here next season will be enough to get us going again. Saturday sees the Luffs away at Blackheath and Tuesday evening sees them away at Knowle and so it will continue for the remainder of the season. If promotion escapes the Loughborough side they will look back on the Easter period as their downfall.