LUFFS 0 BARNT GREEN SPARTAK 4 (18/10/03) IN THE end Loughborough were no match for the league leaders Barnt Green but at time they gave as good as they got but the few chances that came their way were not taken and potential champions cleared this one by a fair margin. Loughborough took some early pressure from Barnt Green and seemed to have it under control with the closest thing to a goal being an unattended free kick which ran to safety. Brewer found the side netting for Loughborough from a tight angle but Suliman should have scored for The green as he was gifted a golden opportunity by slack defending only to shoot wide. Gareth Rogers tested the Barnt Green keeper Timms with a powerful shot but it was straight down the line and he took it well. Having seen a good period of pressure and coped reasonable well with it Loughborough ventured forward and Timms very nearly fumbled a cross into his own net looking a bit relieved to see it go out for a corner. The opening goal came after twenty minutes, the loose ball falling to Cambell outside the area and his shot flew in to the bottom corner giving keeper Springthorpe little chance. Almost immediately the same thing happened at the other end the loose ball falling to Bates but he blasted his shot well over the top. In the last five minutes of the first half Loughborough really should have gone in level, first Matthews broke down the right and shot just wide with the keeper only to beat and almost immediately Richardson had a chance down the left but shot straight into the arms of keeper Timms. The second half was a disaster for The Luffs, Barnt Green scored almost immediately a cross found the head of brown and it was two nil and a mountain to climb for the local side. Barnt Green stepped up the pace, Springthorpe saved with his feet and defending was the order of the day for some considerable time. A free kick forced Timms to palm the ball away and a shot from Brailsford went close. Barnt Green repeated their second goal with the Loughborough defence all over the place, a cross and the head of Suliman found the net for number three. From then on the Loughborough side lost their way and were carved open at regular intervals conceding a fourth goal late in the game but it could have been more. Manager Simon Tebbutt found his squad of players decimated for this the best side the Luffs will meet all season and had to play himself but even so there were some signs that the assembled Loughborough players weren't that bad and should have done better, maybe giving the team of the moment a better run for their money. This Saturday Loughborough travel to Knowle, last season division champions who couldn't accept promotion because of the lack of floodlights, The Luffs have had some good games against this Solihull side over the years but it will need a much more positive approach than last Saturdays convincing defeat. TEAM:  Paul SPRINGTHORPE, Matt WATKISS, Ian STEVENSON, Carl SPRINGTHORPE, Simon TEBBUTT, Gareth ROGERS, Kris RICHARDSON, Nick BATES, Danny BRAILSFORD, Robin MATTHEWS, Danny BREWER SUBS:  BROWN, Mark EDWARDS, George JONES SCORERS:   ATT: N/A HT: 0-1