Feltonmix Metro and Placemakers Cook Street Central United turned on a storming exhibition of wet-weather football at Albie Turner Field on July 24, but the home team's 4-1 triumph in this Bluebird Premier League encounter is certain to be the subject of much discussion in the days to come.
The key talking points of the match took place in the five minutes preceding the half-time break, and during the interval itself. Referee Duncan White booked Shaun O'Mara in the 41st minute, and did so again four minutes later, his second yellow card being followed by the flourish of the red one, just moments before the half-time whistle, which saw the teams head to the dressing rooms locked up at 1-1.
However, the official had erred with his first booking, taking O'Mara's name when the offending player was his defensive partner, Stuart Mair. This fact was pointed out to White at half-time by his assistant, Steve Fletcher, which left the referee in a real quandary.
Whichever way White turned was bound to attract criticism and a protest from one camp or the other, but the option he chose took a great deal of courage on his part, and that is something for which he should be applauded.
The referee went to both teams and admitted his error in sending off O'Mara. Both coaches were spoken to, with the outcome being that Metro were allowed to resume the second half with eleven men, O'Mara having been granted a reprieve.
Given the circumstances, it's almost certain that Central will protest the outcome of this encounter, their argument going along the lines of, 'We lost 4-1 against eleven players, but would the outcome have been the same had we played against the ten men we expected to confront in the second half?'.
The referee's report will certainly make for interesting reading in the circumstances, as will the parts of the Laws of the Game relating to the treatment of players who have been wrongfully dismissed. Certainly this writer is unaware of a precedent having been set for circumstances of this nature, and given the relevance of the game at both the top and bottom of the league table, we may well end up with a situation whereby this game needs to be replayed.
As it stands at present, however, Metro's victory takes them four points clear at the top of the table. But if a replay is decreed by the powers that be, then come one, come all - you are bound to see a cracker!! Because despite the drama of the referee's three-card trick, there were plenty of thrills and spills at both ends of the park to keep all who braved the rain captivated right to the finish.
Little of note had happened in the first twelve minutes, but the sight of Scott Farrington's twenty-five yard rapier strike scything past Grant Schofield en route to the back of the net at that time changed the tone of the match completely.
Metro retorted two minutes later, only for Ross Nicholson to save with his legs from Carl Jorgensen. Central counter-attacked through Phil Porteous down the left, and it was with some measure of relief that the out-of-position Schofield watched the striker's long-range chip drift wide of the mark, as he himself beat a hasty retreat towards goal.
Danny McHenery spurned a golden chance to draw Metro level in the 26th minute, as did Nigel Curties three minutes later. In between times, McHenery set up Jorgensen, who unleashed a thunderous drive from the edge of the penalty area. The ball struck the wet turf just in front of Nicholson and took off, so the save the goalkeeper made, low to his right, can only be described as stunning - in all honesty, he shouldn't have got anywhere near the sphere!
He didn't in the 31st minute, as McHenery drew Metro level. Jorgensen floated a free-kick to the far post, where Mair was lurking. He headed the ball down and across goal, and McHenery was first to react, finding the target with a classic volley struck on the edge of the six yard box. It was no more than the striker deserved, 'cause his was a tremendous all-round performance.
Stu Davidson and Farrington exchanged shots on goal, the latter's effort requiring a save from Schofield. From his raking clearance, Willie Thompson nipped in amongst the static Central defence and cleverly chipped Nicholson, only for his hopes to turn to disappointment, as the ball drifted past the upright.
Schofield made the first of his stunning saves in the 38th minute. He was going the wrong way when Paul Urlovic let fly from the edge of the area, so the former All White custodian's recovery to divert the ball to safety was a tremendous feat in itself, given the ball was heading for the top corner.
After Neil Harlock - strangely subdued in the first half - had chanced his arm from twenty-five yards, the teams left the pitch with the scores level, but only thanks to Schofield. Another brilliant save right on half-time foiled a Bruce Hill grasscutter which was destined for the bottom right-hand corner of the net.
Farrington went close with a volley in the first two minutes of the second half, before Metro edged ahead in the fiftieth minute. Mair released Thompson down the right. He linked up with McHenery, who unselfishly slipped the ball across for Jorgensen to slip home Metro's second goal of this rainswept evening.
Central would have been level again within two minutes, only for Schofield to pull off a marvellous fingertip save to deny Hill.
At the other end in the 56th minute, Nicholson did just enough to put McHenery off, after Thompson had lifted the ball over the defence into the striker's path. The goalkeeper hurtled off his line as McHenery closed, and the mixed feelings - relief from Nicholson, despair from the shooter - were clearly evident on both players' faces as the ball crept past the post.
Since his last involvement, Schofield had somehow managed to injure his calf muscle while ensuring a Central through ball went out for a goal-kick. It effectively reduced his distribution capacity to the throw-out, and one such release sent Aaron Beckham scurrying away down the left in the 59th minute. He cut inside as Central's penalty area came into view, before beating Nicholson all ends up at his near post with a venomous shot to make it 3-1.
This briefly knocked the fire out of Central, and Metro duly went for the jugular. Harlock's vision deserved better reward than that which befell it in the 67th minute. Intercepting a Hill pass, he looked up to see Nicholson about twenty yards off his line.
From half-way, the All White midfielder clipped a chip goalwards which had the burly goalkeeper beating a hasty retreat in order to tip the ball over the bar - fine examples of technical excellence from both individuals, and certainly not the only instances of such talent to be witnessed from players of both sides on a night more conducive to showings of solidity and strength, rather than of skill and subtlety.
Davidson blazed over before Nicholson's next party-piece saw him deny Jorgensen on no less than three occasions in the 72nd minute. It was this which gave Central the inspiration to press for more goals, and sparking this latest raid was Terry Torrens - he had a super game.
Greg Uhlmann received the ball from one of his player-coaches, and in turn fed Porteous. John Van Dort's timely tackle foiled the striker, but David Spedding was following up, only for his eighteen-yard grasscutter to flash past the upright with Schofield unable to do a great deal in response.
Metro made it 4-1 in the 79th minute, Curties sweeping the ball home after McHenery and Thompson combined to good effect on the right. (Or so I'm told, as compiling this report was made exceedingly difficult at times by a cluster of umbrella-bearing patrons to the left of Metro's dugout with a penchant for holding their 'weapons' at such a height that those watching and working from vantage points behind them were denied the opportunity of a clear sight of Nicholson's goal on numerous occasions throughout the second spell!!)
Jorgensen was narrowly astray in the 82nd minute, while Torrens was denied a deserved goal four minutes later by another superb Schofield save of the 'tip over the bar' variety.
Stoppage time pressure from Metro saw McHenery going close yet again, before he was brought down by Nicholson in the dying stages as he pursued a Davidson through ball. Harlock stepped up to take the spot-kick, only for Nicholson to turn the ball to safety, with the final whistle sounding seconds later.
4-1 to Metro, then, but will it stay that way? Time will tell, but one thing's for sure - don't miss the Chatham Cup semi-final between these sides in three weeks time. On this display, you're in for a treat!!

Metro:  Schofield; Van Dort, Mair, O'Mara (booked, 41, 45 - sent-off, then reinstated by referee for the second half, due to mistaken identity with first booking), Beckham; Davidson, Jorgensen, Curties, Harlock; McHenery, W. Thompson (Mitchell, 87).

Central: Nicholson (booked, 90); New (Lathwood, 65), Torrens (booked, 31), Uhlmann; Harris, Spedding, Hill, Farrington, Loftus (Hawke, 12); Porteous, P. Urlovic.  

Referee: Duncan White

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