Reports: Hello readers!  A guess a big apology is due for the gap in our match reporting service.  The 'gap' was due to a combination of depression, sulking, lack of time, lack of manners and some soul searching about where the future lies.  Anyway, enough of that crap, let's have a review of the 4 matches above.

First, the Honley match - 1/4 final of the Barlow Cup - the 'biggie' at our humble level.  I guess that the reporter should apologise to the Honley lads for this match being condensed into a few sentences instead of the usual 'War and Peace' effort that the writer manages to churn out.  I'm pausing as I write this, because it's a bit hard to know where to begin.  Let's get the excuses out first: we had a home cup draw, perfect pitch (well, as perfect as Churchill Playing Fields can be), a ref we know and love ('Peace Brother'), 2nd division opponents, a totally full strength side, a winnable semi final on the horizon.....hang on...oh, that's right, we had no excuses - we were a pile of cr*p and Honley totally deserved their win. Yes, Diggle were truly awful in pretty much every respect - from Manager to substitute, rubbish.

It's true to say that at no point in the match did Diggle ever look like winning the match - no hard luck stories, no 'if only's'.  Diggle controlled most of the possession but it was all pointless - for the political among you: a bit like the Liberal Democrats - occupying the moral high ground, good ideas and all that, but no chance at all of getting into power.

Honley were thoroughly deserving of their win. They were organised, thorough, disciplined.  They made good decisions on and off the ball.  Diggle were petulant, disorganised and massively underperforming.  The Manager offered no inspiration and his demands for better efforts were ignored.  All in all, Diggle had 2 players who performed anything like their capabilities - 2 out of 11 does not work.

Well done Honley.  Shame on Diggle.

Second, the Heywood match - League game.  This was a fundamentally better effort from Diggle, in a good advert for football at our level.  Heywood played extremely well, making a mockery of their lowly league position - surely this wasn't their normal starting 11. 

The game was very tight throughout, and Diggle approached this game with a much better attitude than they had approached the Honley game.   Diggle had called up Danny Tomlinson and Keiron Mayall from the 2nd team, albeit there is no doubting that these two fine gentlemen are completely first team quality.

A tight first half ended nil nil, but goals were to follow in the second period.

Diggle opened the scoring with Keiron Mayall taking the glory from just inside the Heywood box after good work from his strike partner Whittaker.  Heywood responded valiantly and they played throughout the game with a committed and positive attitude.  Their equaliser was well deserved to be honest.

Diggle responded well, and re-took the lead through a superb finish from Jake Jacobs.  Curling home a shot from the edge of the Heywood box after 70 minutes.  Heywood were undaunted and they continued to press for an equaliser.  It came on 75 minutes - another curling effort - this time wind assisted.

Both sides could claim they should have won this game, and Heywood had the best chance of that in the very last seconds of injury time, as they were correctly, if maybe a bit harshly, awarded a penalty.  However, the penalty kicker fluffed his lines and Diggle keeper McWatt pulled off a superb save, diving down to his right.  2-2, a fair result.

Third, the Meltham match - the Manager wasn't present at this game, so you are spared a blow by blow summary.  However, Diggle's 4-2 win at Meltham, traditionally a very hard place to win, was extremely pleasing.  The goals were shared between Jeff Whittaker (3) and Keiron Mayall - who are quickly forming a lethal partnership. 

Fourth, the Britannia match - the first night game of the season, or, as it should be called, the 'silly season'.  With so many teams having to play so many night matches, the form book is ripped up and the shape of the League table can change dramatically.

So, it was a bit of a lottery as to how this game might turn out.  Diggle's side was crippled with injury, suspension and unavailability, so they had to work hard to field a team.  However, given the quality that Diggle are able to call upon, they could not have any excuses about the side they were eventually able to field.

Britannia are always tough opponents, and judging by some of the faces we recognised and their usual positions on the field, they had their own problems in terms of getting a credible 11 men on the field.  Brit didn't help themselves as they had a running feud with the referee who was in no mood to tolerate Brit's approach - booking 3 and sending off 1 of the Brit players in this game.

The 4 nil win for Diggle was thoroughly deserved, if a little flattering.  This was a tight game throughout and whilst there was only ever going to be one winner, Brit were highly competitive and more than played their part in the match.

Diggle opened brightly and Brit's defence, well marshalled by their impressive number 6 (he of the strange haircut), was soon fighting a rearguard.  Diggle took  the early lead - a penalty from the ever impressive (if ever frustrating) Jeff Whittaker, following the Brit number 6 handling the ball - which was more to do with the way the ball bounced, rather than the player deliberately handling.

Diggle controlled the first half almost entirely, but could not add to their score before the half time break.

In the second period, Diggle hammered home their advantage, despite Brit coming out more as an attacking force.  Diggle's second came from Whittaker early in the second period to steady their nerves.

Brit's first attempt on goal came after 65 minutes - a flashing header that, somehow, Diggle keeper Mike Moore dived down to save, with as good a save as you will see at our level of football.

Diggle wrapped up their win with 2 pieces of magical management from their manager - c'mon, even I deserve a good mention every now and then!  The magical management came with the introduction of substitutes Warren Edwards and Adam Hayes - both of whom scored with their first touches of the ball!

Edwards goal was pure class - and fully intended knowing Edwards - as he scooped a shot over the Brit keeper from 40 yards out: quite comical as the Brit keeper had made a sarcastic remark to Edwards as he was warming up.  The keeper didn't look quite so clever as he lay in a heap in his goal, and as his teammates looked on in disgust.

Hayes goal - 10 minutes from time - was a rasping half volley from the edge of the box as a Diggle corner had only been half cleared.

4 - 0 win to Diggle - well deserved, hard fought.

That's me nearly back up to date,  Moldgreen massacre to follow..................