Croxley Green Vets 8-3 Boro Vets
The long trip to Croxley Green saw Boro Vets keen to get one of their longest away fixtures of the season out of the way early, with some players facing a two-hour journey before kick-off.

Manager Carl opted for a 3-5-2 formation, looking to add more attacking threat while remaining mindful of Croxley Green's strengths from previous meetings, namely their quick counter - attacks and dangerous wide players.

The opening 10 minutes were evenly contested, with both sides settling into the game. However, it was the hosts who struck first to take the lead. Boro responded immediately. A dangerous ball was driven across the face of goal and Mark Berryman was perfectly placed at the back post to slide home the equaliser and make it 1-1. Croxley Green continued to apply pressure throughout the first half. Stevie Chart produced a great save to tip an effort on to the bar while Mark Harris, Chris Hawes, and Donald Stone all made crucial defensive interventions to keep Boro in the contest. Despite their efforts, the hosts found another breakthrough just before half-time, restoring their advantage and taking a 2-1 lead into the break.

The second half proved far more difficult for Boro. Croxley Green came flying out of the blocks and quickly took control of the game. Before Boro could regroup, the score had stretched to 6-1.
There was a moment of encouragement for the visitors when Mark Berryman was brought down inside the penalty area. Lee Sutton calmly converted from the spot to open his account for the season and reduce the deficit.
Any hopes of a comeback were short-lived, however, as Croxley Green immediately reasserted themselves and added two further goals. Boro had the final say when Sean Jackson met the ball sweetly on the volley, smashing home an excellent finish to round off the scoring.

The final whistle brought an end to a tough afternoon, with the score finishing Croxley Green Vets 8-3 Boro Vets.
While the result was a disappointing one, there were valuable lessons to be learned. The team will recognise that this season's league presents a much greater challenge, with relegated Premier Division sides and ambitious newly promoted teams raising the overall standard of competition.

There were several strong individual performances despite the defeat, but Man of the Match deservedly went to Dean Taylor, whose tireless work rate, energy, and commitment in midfield never dropped throughout the 90 minutes.