LUFFS 8 Brownhills 0 (11/1/03) THE BIRMINGHAM lads were amazed to find themselves playing on a perfect surface at The Drome on Saturday as the Mid Com like most leagues was decimated by the weather and just a little bit taken aback by the quality of the opposition they met in The Luffs. This was Loughborough's best win of the season indeed their most convincing win since The Luffs joined the prestigious Midland Combination four years ago and it has to be said this was an impressive performance. Perhaps even more impressive since the Loughborough side had been sidelined by the weather for the last three weeks, this was the first game of the new year and if this is what the year of Our Lord 2003 is going to be like then bring it on. True Brownhills Town sit at the bottom of the league but it is just a month ago since Loughborough travelled to Brownhills and battled out a nil-nil draw, they are not a side to concede eight goals without reply from an ordinary side, The Luffs were a bit special on this day. It took just three minutes for Loughborough to open the scoring and it was delightfully simple as Paul Gunn delivered the cross and Steve Aylward headed it in. At this stage Brownhills might well have equalised as Springthorpe's miss directed header landed nicely at the feet of Sutton whose snap shot scrapped the bar. But as this game developed Brownhills had no answer to the flowing football that Loughborough produced and the chances came and went at regular intervals. Andrew Mcintosh was back to something like his best, he hit the post with a raking shot and then provided the cross for Paul Gunn to head the second goal, it was good to watch. Gareth Rogers back from suspension marked his return with a wild shot over the top while Mcintosh gave Aylward a chance from a cross which went just wide. Gunn looked to have won a penalty, clear through on goal and stopped with a tackle from behind but nothing was given but brought down a second time and the decision was given and Gunn scored the spot kick for his second and Loughborough's third. This game saw the debut of Nick Fairey signed from Hathern in the local league and he did well in the midfield spraying the ball around to good purpose. The first half saw the exit of Steve Aylward limping off with a knee injury and his replacement Mark Dabney was soon into the game with a shot deflected just wide. But it remained three-nil at half time and looking good for The Luffs. The second half saw Loughborough quickly back into the driving seat, Mcintosh provided the corner and Carl Springthorpe headed the fourth goal. Dabney never broke stride as he thundered another Mcintosh cross into the roof of the net to make it five and the most spectacular of the considerable bunch If it works do it again this time it was Gunn on the end of Mcintosh's cross to make it six. The Brownhills 'keeper Horton looked thoroughly browned off but he still found the agility to save Ian Stevensons long shot. Steve Moult provided the cross for Steve Mould to volley the seventh goal and the annihilation was almost complete, just time enough for Gunn to take his personal tally to four and give his side a resounding eight non victory. This without The Luffs ace striker Paul O'Callaghan and skipper Mark Edwards both out through suspension for six weeks. This win takes The Luffs up to seventh place and having disposed comfortably of the bottom team they meet Stockingford AA the team in the league who are unbeaten, drawn one and won nine but they are way behind in their league programme. This one is at home as well (kick off 2.00pm) and for those who are interested the AA stand for Allotment Association and their ground carries the grand title of The Cabbage Patch. That's as far as the mickey taking goes, this team hails from Nuneaton and have benefited from the interest of local non league legend John Hanna, promoted from Division Two last season their history is littered with cup and league success. So The Luffs go from the bottom of the league side to the potential top of the league side in the space of seven days ... a good test for new manager Simon Tebbutt and his men. TEAM:  Paul SPRINGTHORPE, Steve MOULT, Ian STEVENSON, Carl SPRINGTHORPE, Ben BOYCE, Nick FAIRY, Steve MOULD, Gareth ROGERS, Andrew MACINTOSH, Paul GUNN, Steve ALYWARD  SUBS:  Mark DABNEY, Mat WATKISS, Simon TEBBUTT SCORERS:  Paul GUNN (4), Steve AYLWARD, Mark DABNEY, Steve MOULD, Carl SPRINGTHROPE ATT: NA HT: 3-0