THREE-GOAL FIGHTBACK GIVES 3s HOPE

We always said it could happen.

We always believed it would happen.

And now. It has happened.

Not the most auspicious of starts: an ill referee at 9, replacement drafted in at the 10, replacement not there at 1.30, Smith has to remove himself from the XI and take the black.

And what a decision that proved, as he let a tight offside call go in favour of the visitors, who slotted home to see themselves one up.

Despite this clearly unbiased approach to refereeing, Fulham could not find it in themselves to hold back on the lip, and Smith had to employ his teacher voice after a bout of whinging form the away side.

Fortunately the referee finally arrived, allowing Smith to retire to the bench in time to see his side go a second goal behind after a decent solo effort.

Heads however did not drop, and the turnaround came from Hearty, lifting a (shot? cross? who knows) to the far post to claw one back before the half: 2-1.

It is not at all hyperbolic to say that the reintroduction of Smith (this time in Borough Red) along with Wallace at half time changed the game.

The second half was all with the Mighty 3s, pressure being piled on down both flanks and through the middle; and soon it told. A cheeky straight-off-the-training-ground free kick from Smith was dinked over the wall onto the head of Cozens-Smith; as the ball fell to the ground Grant was quickest off the mark to hammer home an equaliser and set up an exciting run in.

And Borough went from strength to strength, looking calm and in control, as if the lead was assured - and so it proved. A through ball from Hearty had Cozens-Smith running on goal; he curled the ball masterfully last the hapless Fulham keeper to complete the 3s comeback at 3-2.

The run in was not without its scares (this is still the 3s) but now it is over we can say the result was never in doubt. Blood ran hot towards the end, some nasty work from the Fulham centre half landing Werger with a suspected fracture (along with Laban, the second 3s player to end the game on crutches); and some handbags were waved around at the final whistle, but the less said about that the better.

A glorious, long-awaited and thoroughly-deserved third win for the 3s, enough to make the last two league games an interesting time to be a third team player.