Despite the 1-0 reverse to Caledonian Old Boys last Friday it has been a very good start to the season for Jiggle. The hallmark of top sides however is the ability to bounce back immediately after a defeat. A win tonight would leave Jiggle nicely poised on ten points with six games to go. But tonight's opposition Southern Celtic would have their eyes on a very different script and despite three defeats in their opening four games showed what they're capable of in a 3-0 over Motley Crew in Week 3. The sides had met twice before with very different outcomes. Jiggle won the first 5-0 in Summer 2001 and the second was a 0-0 draw in Summer 2002. What would tonight's game have to offer?

FC Jiggle 0 Southern Celtic 0

The Jigglers endured a frustrating night as a well-organised Southern Celtic side secured a well-deserved point in the final match before next week's mid-season break.

Jiggle certainly had their eyes on three points from this match and perhaps should have got them after missing three outstanding chances. Celtic however had the better of possession and will feel themselves they should have made a lot better of several good positions.

The squad that has served Jiggle well so far this season was this week a seven with Andy Chong sidelined for the fourth week of five due to injury. Jon Hawtin however was back in the frame and led tonight's attack alongside Dave Carling. Andy's absence meant a continuation of the David Leake/Stuart MacPherson partnership at the back. Nick Rapley and Sam Cohen were tonight's reserve ammunition.

Jiggle started slowly and could well have been a goal down within thirty seconds saved by the equally slow start of the Celtic forward who snatched at what was a deceptively good opportunity a yard outside the box.

This was an immediate wake-up call and Jiggle responded with Jon Hawtin bringing a smothering save from the keeper from the next attack. Stuart MacPherson also brought a good low save from the Celtic stopper but on the whole Jiggle were finding it hard to get going as their opponents took a grip on early possession.

In spite of working it well and finding good shooting opportunities Celtic seemed unable to hit the target. On the occasion they did Phil Laker stood up well to turn a well-struck effort away from danger.

In the games this season it has become clear that little will separate 90% of the sides in the division with near enough every match being a tight affair decided by the odd goal. With this in mind sticking the chances away when they arrive is highly likely to be what decides the top four this season.

Where Jiggle did this to perfection against The Blues and Motley Crew, tonight their luck was out as they were unable to seize on one of the three great opportunities that came their way.

The first of the three arrived three minutes before the break as Dave Carling did well to dispossess the last defender on half way, clean through but with almost too much time to pick his spot Dave drove his shot agonisingly wide of the near post.

Celtic despite enjoying the better of the half would have been relieved to go in goalless but began the second-half looking determined to make Jiggle pay for their miss, again however despite a period of ascendancy and plenty of useful positions Phil remained untested between the sticks.

Jiggle continued to enjoy the best chances and another good one passed by when sub Nick Rapley played in Stuart MacPherson with only the keeper to beat only for the touch of Jiggle's top scorer to desert him at the vital moment giving a recovering defender the split second needed to clear the danger.

It was a second significant escape but Jiggle were finishing strongly and it seemed likely further chances may come their way as Celtic too appeared focused on getting the win.

With a minute left on the clock Jiggle won the ball at the back, it was worked to Nick Rapley who 2 on 1 expertly drew the defender to play in Sam Cohen behind the defence. With Sam looking a great bet to net a late winner the keeper excelled himself to make a sharp save down by his near post. It was the last clear chance of the match and the full-time whistle signalled the end of a keenly-contested game which despite some really good positions for both sides ended without a goal.

The draw tonight should put Jiggle in an upper mid-table position ahead of the second-half of the campaign starting on November 7th. A couple of points are likely to separate Jiggle from the inhabitants of the play-off places. With Caledonian odds on to top the division there look to be six or seven teams all capable of filling the next three berths. One of them, Crawley Casuals, a side who made the semi-finals of the Summer Fives despite a 2-0 reverse to Jiggle in the league stages will provide the next opposition in two weeks time. It promises to be a vital six-pointer as they race for Finals places really starts to gather pace.

Team: Phil Laker, David Leake, Stuart MacPherson, Dave Carling, Jon Hawtin. Subs. Nick Rapley (for Dave Carling) Sam Cohen (for Jon Hawtin)