Fluxton 4, Stoke Hill 1 Fluxton’s rutting Stag had been intended to wear the number 9 shirt but something in Friday night’s meticulous pre-match preparation blunted Olly Paget’s fearful antlers, writes Alex Paget.

When his stomach did finally settle enough for a run out, his first time swivelling half-volley from 30-yards narrowly cleared the apex of post and bar.

Half an hour of rather frenetic, congested football came and went before Fluxton transformed, en masse, into a patient, probing team.

Suddenly they were enlightened! As always with this beautiful game, it was crisp, simple passing along the floor that made the game attractive, effective and a joy to partake in. One romping move involving five players, but no more than eight touches took the ball from one box to the other with Tom Rapps unlucky not to break the deadlock with a firm header a shade too near the keeper.

Graham Hughes hit the bar soon after, but the deadlock was unbroken at half time.

Turning to attack the famed River End, Fluxton were unruffled by the virgin score line. It was unfitting that the first two goals were ugly sisters, somehow rising from a sea of beauties to have their wicked way.

Quite simply, the elder Paget threw two balls into the net from the left touchline, both goals made legal by unwise defenders’ touches.

The ref pulled one back for the visitors with a well-converted penalty before the same Paget shouldered a third for Flux.

And then came the icing. Stephen Howe, winning and maintaining possession as usual, fed Alex Paget who released Staggy Paget into the inside right channel; one touch to carry himself clear and another to flight the ball to the far post for a horizontally-arriving Tom Rapps to add the final touch.

Fluxton seek a fourth game without defeat when they entertain Amory Green Rovers tomorrow afternoon.