The last two seasons have brought unbridled success for the men’s 7s with two promotions and on the first day of the new season they met their old foes who had come up each time with them, Sittingbourne. After a frantic first 10 minutes, both sides settled into their rhythm and it was the Ops who started creating the best chances. When Sittingbourne did attack the defence was organised and calm, quelling any opportunities the away side tried to create. As the game started to open up, an aerial ball thrown by Matt Goodwin was collected on the run by Andrew Reed to take on the Sittingbourne defence on his. Reed twisted them in to knots, only to be brought down unceremoniously and win a penalty for the home side. Up stepped Matt Carter to send the ball high into the net and open his account for the season. Ops came into half time up and in control. The second half started in the same way and Ops were soon rewarded when Joseph Kennedy picked up the ball high up the pitch, drove at the D and played a pinpoint pass across the goal for dad Dan Kennedy to finish on the back post. Sittingbourne pulled one back midway through the second half to set up a tense finish. In what was always going to be an intense game between the two rivals, Ops received 2 cards in quick succession leaving them 2 men down for the final part of the game. While Sittingbourne man-aged to capitalise on this through a short corner, Ops battled hard to secure the draw and even nearly nicked a winner at the end.