With four games remaining this season, things couldn’t be tighter as club favourites the Mighty Sevens although top, faced a stern test against third-placed and an in-form Gravesham & Wellcome.

Despite missing several regular players, the Sevens welcomed back Vernon Tumble, recovering from an almost back-breaking fall several weeks ago to reclaim his position at right half, so well-filled in recent games by the electric Riley Giles.

In the late afternoon sun, the game pushed back, and it was clear from the off that the Sevens were facing a well-honed and coordinated squad that passed well and had experience on their side. But the Sevens had something else: determination and drive and, with the wise words of the vertically-challenged Bummers, their unofficial pint-sized mascot/coach, ringing in their ears, they set to their task of breaking down the home side’s play and creating opportunities of their own.

However – with a number of clear calls for short corners and fouls being waved away by the umpires, it became clear that more was just needed than determination and drive; patience and calm in the face of a seemingly endless number of G&W short corners to ensure that the Seven’s lines weren’t breached. And it was testament to the tenacity and coordination of the midfield and back line that Ops snuffed out forays and penalties time and time again.

In response, the Sevens were mounting charges of their own. With Matt Messy marshalling the field from the centre and sending many a long ball to the forwards, gaps were being found and the tireless running on the wing from the sensational skipper Dan Muledenny – what a game he was having – and some great work from Giles and Baker on the right to find the imposing Mjölnir only to not yet find the back of the net – but it was coming.

One such series of play saw veteran Woody Shaw weaving – or was that wavering – through the centre to receive yet another pass through by Messy clear on goal and, with his shot punching past the hapless keeper, looked like it might go wide, but up stepped Mjölnir to ensure that it had one destination: back of the net. Incredibly, this was the centre-forward’s 39th goal of the season, and it was clear he was hungry for more.

Despite a goal cushion, the game’s pace, if anything, increased, with every player putting in a shift; from the terrier-like Beemian, snapping and snarling in the middle, the ever-calm Borris Nordone to the seemingly calamitous, yet somehow effective wanderings of Luce Cannon and stout defence of Stuart Crableston, Simon Huge and Owen Goshford being called upon repeatedly. And, in what was probably his best game to date in his debut season as keeper, Stuart Tray pulled off save after save when the last line of defence had been breached. What started off as a high-tempo clash was turning into a classic for the archives. At the half-time whistle, it was only the score that separated these two titans – if this was a film, it would likely be titular Rocky IV. Definitely not Rocky V - that was rubbish.

Early into the second half, the home side illustrated their reluctance to go down quietly, creating more opportunities with some deft passing and movement. But, this seasoned side were not to be dissuaded from the task at hand and their tireless pursuit of a victory was having an effect on their hosts as they frustrated and foiled any home side forays and pushed for their own. Yet another long ball to Mjölnir out on the left at the top of the D saw the striker strike an acute angle shot that hit the ball firmly to join the keeper’s own and, despite him pushing the ball out, it was leapt on for the enigmatic skipper to bury it past his hapless form: 2-1 to the visitors.

Speaking of balls, the stoutness of defender Crableston was tested severely when, in a similar incident to the home keeper saw his personal defence breached when a shot from the home side nestled at pace squarely between his legs to change him from a baritone to falsetto instantly. Fortunately, albeit gingerly, the aged defender was able to return to duties after a short respite.

However, when a well-worked passing combo finally saw the ball through and past the robust form of Stuart Tray for the equaliser the pressure firmly back on – could this be a comeback to snatch a draw at the end of this thrilling encounter? Well, no. Despite the pace and intensity of the game and some very weary legs, the Sevens kept up the pressure and the tireless work of the visitors was soon to reap a further reward when, after stealing the ball back, Messy launched a fantastic arial to the relentless Giles running up the right wing to stroke the ball first-time to Mjölnir who swept the ball into the right of the goal, wrong-footing the keeper for his 40th goal of the season and to seal the game at 3-1

Post match, a clearly exhausted but elated Muledenny was full of praise for his teammates: “We knew today was going to be tough, but what a game – what a team we have. That was hard graft today, they really made us work. And all credit to the oppo, they’re a fine bunch of lads, but we really showed what we can do; we dug in and every player bar none put in a shift.

From the back to the forwards, everyone showed just why we’re the club’s favourite team; Messy was fantastic today, marshalling from the centre and punching out those long balls. And Riley – that boy has been nothing short of sensational this season with some blistering play. As for Tray our keeper, well, he showed today that he’s more capable than just shouting ‘Leave!’ or ‘Mine!’ and I think it’s fair to say he kept us in the fight on more than one occasion today. I was glad to get back on the scoresheet again, but my tally for the season just pales when compared to one man: of course, we can’t not mention Mjölnir’s 40 goals this season – we’re pretty sure it’s a club record and certainly he’s got the Golden Stick in the bag, that’s for certain…what a season that boy’s had so far!

With Sittingbourne keeping pace with us, the pressure will stay on until the very end and our next game sees us away at their ground in what is arguably our most important fixture of the season and may well decide who takes the league. But, if apply more of the same as we did today, then we’ll stand the best chance of putting light between us and them and winning this thing for the first time in recent living memory – bring it on!”