Wessex United 2–2 Crookes United: the habit holds

Tuesday 25 August, Matchday 31, and for the first half-hour it all looked rather un-Wessex. Felix Hadleigh, who has a habit of scoring before the crowd has settled, tucked one away in the 6th minute from Ingmar Achterberg's pass. Achterberg, no slouch himself when it comes to early goals, made it 2-0 in the 36th. Two-nil at the break against a Crookes United side sitting 19th and struggling. The previous encounter finished 3-1. This looked done.

Crookes had other ideas. Or rather, they had Percival Basildon, who rose to meet Jürgen Backhausen's cross in the 63rd and made it 2-1. That changed the feel of the place. Wessex, 11th and fond of a stalemate, suddenly remembered who they were. The composure drained out of the stands, and the players seemed to notice.

The equaliser arrived in the 89th minute. Adnan Akkuş, fed by Sebastian Dewhurst, and Crookes had a point they probably deserved for persistence. Wessex had held the lead for over an hour and still found a way to share the spoils. Honestly, you have to admire the commitment to the bit. Two goals up, cruising, and the team's natural instinct for a draw reasserted itself like a law of physics.

Look, I reckon this league doesn't do reflection. Matchday 32 arrives tomorrow, Wednesday 26 August, and Wessex will have to do it all again. You suspect they will, and it will probably finish level. At this point, betting against a draw feels like the reckless option.