Last weekend saw a run out for a team that have not even made it into the bottom division. Emma IVs (a team not yet officially in existence) played a friendly match against bottom division side Caius IVs at Barton Road.

Emma were certainly up for the challenge of playing as illustrious opposition as a mid-table Seventh Division outfit and arrived at the ground a full 40 minutes early to get a pre-match training session-cum-warm up going. Caius IVs, by comparison, perhaps slighly arrogantly, turned up late and engaged in a warm up consisting of little but kicking balls at their star striker Mike Judey.

Such arrogance, however, was not completely misplaced with Caius running out comfortable winners by nine goals to one.

This game, however, was not about Caius IVs. They have already shown their inability to play football this season. This game was about Emma whose enthusiasm and sportsmanship throughout must be commended.

Turning up in a bizzare mix of bright lurid colours - mostly pink and orange - Emma looked like they may well belong in the Bottom Division, where the quality and aethseticity of the kit is extremely dubious. The displayed all the hallmarks of a Seventh Division side: mistimed tackles, a terrible first touch and no pace anywhere on the pitche. They would fit in with the other riff-raff of the bottom division.

Indeed, despite the scoreline, they were not completely outplayed by Caius and managed to hold their own particularly in midfield with captain Paul Maynard putting in an admirable shift.

To enter the league, Emma IVs need Emma IIIs to be promoted. This is grossly unfair based on Sunday’s display. A 9-1 loss is a typical result in Seventh Division and Emma IV should not at all be disheartend. Here’s hoping that they putting in similarly horrible tackles and skewed shots in real matches next year.