We began Round 4 with a top of the table clash as the top two teams came head-to-head. However, just 2 points separated 1st place and 5th place so Group A was proving to be as tight as…….(insert your own punchline here).

Urbansport '22 had looked very impressive in Round 1 & 2 with 3-0 and 6-0 wins but a 2-1 defeat had stopped them in their tracks. Would this be a temporary stop or would their campaign be de-railed? They needed to bounce back with at least a draw in this game. AFC Blue Boys 2 had momentum with them though. Following 2 draws they had secured a strong 5-0 win so would enter this match with confidence high.

Indeed that momentum carried into this game as AFC Blue Boys struck the opening blow. Artur Sukiennik scored his third goal in two games to put his team 1-0 up in the first half. Urbansport '22 battled hard but the Polish team defended well. Mariusz Kupisiak had kept a clean sheet in the previous game and if he could keep another one here then AFC Blue Boys 2 would have a famous victory.

The referee blew the whistle for half-time with AFC Blue Boys 2 still 1-0 up. When he did the same thing at full-time, AFC Blue Boys 2 were still 1-0 up and we had new leaders at the top of Group A. Urbansport '22 were the biggest losers in Round 4 as they slipped from 1st to 4th position.

The only thing left to settle in Round 4 was the not-so-small matter of Lindfield FC versus Bayern Badonde. Due to other results the teams found themselves in 4th and 5th position at kick-off but obviously with a game in hand over their rivals. They needed to turn that game in hand into points. Lindfield FC A were currently unbeaten and could go top of the table with victory here.

Bayern Badonde were enjoying an upward trend of form that read Loss-Draw-Win. It was an impressive win at that against an Urbansport '22 who had a 100% record at the time. That uptick in form looked set to continue as Alex Jacobs put his team 1-0 up. If they could go on and complete victory they would just be 1 point behind the league leaders. Lindfield FC A had shown resilience in this tournament already having twice come from behind against AFC Blue Boys 2. They were at it again here as Ruari Farrell levelled the score at 1-1. Stuart Brown then turned this game on its head to give Lindfield FC A a 2-1 lead at half-time.

The second half proved to be one way traffic. Lindfield FC A pulled away from their opponents with Stuart Brown claiming a post half-time hat-trick, Ruari Farrell completing his hat-trick and Jamie Wilkes also getting in on the act. Final score, 8-1.

Goal difference was important as 3 points took Lindfield FC A level on points with AFC Blue Boys but they had turned their goal difference from +3 to +10 and overtook AFC Blue Boys 2 (+6) in the process. Lindfield FC A were now in pole position to take Group A.