The Jigglers had pushed champions White Knights to the wire last Friday so were high on confidence going into this the final match of New Year Fives 2004. A place in the finals was out of reach but tonight's clash with an Underdogs side second bottom of the table is the kind of game the Jigglers need to get into the habit of winning ahead of the big summer campaign. A stirring performance was required to end the season on a high note.

FC Jiggle 6 Underdogs 0 (Sam Cohen 3,6,9 Stu MacPherson 14 David Leake 16 Dave Carling 19)

Sam Cohen bagged a hat-trick in nine minutes and every outfield player was on the score sheet as FC Jiggle completed their New Year Fives campaign with this rousing club record demolition of Underdogs.

After the slow start that came with the traditional post-Autumn hangover Jiggle have played some very good football in the second-half of the season and with the uni contingent and weekly training slot to return in the coming weeks an exciting summer of football can be looked forward to.

The fact that a Finals place was out of reach going into the last game can be attributed to that slow start and the draws against lower-placed sides who have been beaten by the sides who have made it to the last eight. Tonight's encounter was just this kind of game. So the final match of New Year 2004 was a good opportunity to not only end this season on a rousing note but create the winning mentality required to take the points in this type of game come the summer.

The line-up showed one change from the side that almost upset White Knights, leading marksman Sam Cohen returning in place of Andy Lee Chong who rested a groin injury picked up last Saturday. So, it was David Leake and Stuart MacPherson at the back, Dave Carling and Sam Cohen in attack. Underdogs, kitted out in Southampton shirts went into the game hampered by a one-man disadvantage. Important then that Jiggle took early command and made it count before numbers were evened up.

From the off it was one-way traffic as the Jigglers took full control. Instantly the Underdogs keeper served immediate notice that he was well up for the challenge as Jiggle regularly carved open the resistance in front of him. The keeper had already saved sharply from Dave Carling and Sam before pulling off a spectacular stop to once more thwart Jiggle's top scorer. The chances were coming at a prolific rate. In the third minute Dave Carling slid the ball through to Sam who made use of plenty of space to beat the keeper at the near post and give Jiggle a deserved lead.

The Underdogs keeper was having a fantastic match and he made so many good saves it is impossible to detail them all. The pick of them were a Sam scorcher that was clawed superbly out of the top corner and an excellent one on one block from Dave Carling.

Three minutes after his opener Sam was back on the scoresheet. Dave Carling returned the ball to Phil, he pinged a sublime Beckham like ball to Sam who finished powerfully and emphatically through a crowd of players. Soon after, Sammyboy completed his second hat-trick of the season as he collected a thru pass, drew the keeper and slotted neatly beneath him to make it 3-0.

The Underdogs keeper continued to be the one man between Jiggle and double figures but he was helped by the half-time arrival of his team's fifth member. Inspired by this Underdogs threatened a mini-revival but Phil was on hand to repel the one and only shot to come his way tonight.

Jiggle were soon back on the offensive and were looking hungry for more goals. The fourth was the pick of the bunch as Stu beat two players on a mazy run across the pitch and chipped a tidy left footed shot past the advancing keeper and into the back of the net.

The second-half performance was excellent and pleasing to see everyone continuing in the same vein against five men as had been the case against four. Having seen his defensive partner Stu beat two men and score it was time for Dave Leake to get in on the act. Picking the ball up just inside the Underdogs half Jiggle's pillar of defensive stability sidestepped the first challenge, outpaced the second and finished with finesse, low past the advancing keeper for 5-0.

All that was needed was a Dave Carling goal to complete the full set put the icing on the cake. Dave duly obliged a minute from time as he collected a pass from Stu and drove a well struck shot into the back of the net. The 6-0 strike secured a new club record scoreline, surpassing the 5-0 against Two Left Feet earlier this season and the 5-0 against Southern Celtic in August 2001.

Underdogs almost grabbed a consolation as a shot was deflected via Dave Leake's shoulder onto the top of the bar. Dave Carling was maybe through for a seventh but was halted in full flow by Roy's full-time whistle. It concluded a very professional performance, plenty of chances created and plenty of chances taken. Exactly the type of form that the Jigglers will be looking to show in this type of match when the summer comes around. Numerous records were broken tonight. The six goals took the season total to 18, beating the record of 12 that stood from Jiggle's very first season. Sam's hat-trick capped his excellent season in front of goal and in taking his total to ten and he has got off to a flying start in the race to claim the 2004 Golden Boot. Dave Leake, Dave Carling and Stu each matched or passed personal goal records and tonight's result was the first where all outfield players have scored in a Jiggle match. Sixteen points represents another decent haul. The magic 20-22 will hopefully follow in the summer!

For now this was just the right way to end the New Year Fives and sent the team out for the end of season celebrations in great spirits. The Jigglers can next be seen on a football pitch on Wednesday 7th April when they take on Maureen FC in a friendly which kicks off the build-up to the summer's competitive action. Bring on the summer!

Team: Phil Laker, David Leake, Stuart MacPherson, Dave Carling, Sam Cohen