The scene was set at Stoke Climsland for a typical afternoon of junior standard soccer. A biting north wind was howling down the considerable slope, the playing surface resembled a lunar landscape, there was only one match ball and no half-time tea!
Polperro, nevertheless, knuckled down to the job in hand and with the wind at their backs pressured the Stoke goal from the start but they failed to penetrate a stubborn defence even after winning six consecutive corners in the last few minutes of the first half.
The expected reversal of roles failed to materialise after the break as an inspired Polperro side continued to take the game to Stoke with a gritty determination. With 15 minutes of normal time remaining Jason Richardson finally broke the deadlocked scoreline breaking through the home defence and netting with what, from the touchline, looked like a perfectly mis-hit strike.
There was plenty more action to come, however, as referee Trevor Collins, who was obviously enjoying his afternoon and doing a fine job, played an extra 10 minutes to make up for the various stoppages. Polperro's advantage looked shaky on a number of occasions in the closing spell and 'keeper Paul Hudson, who was a spectator for most of the game, was called upon to pull off a superb save in the dying moments ensuring that all three points were kept.