Deja vu all over again....

It seems only apt to quote the great Yogi Berri in the title for this report (and perhaps a few more will sneak in along the way) - not least because we played on a pitch surrounded by baseball diamonds.....but principally because for the second time in two matches, Hearts Lions lost to 3-2 to Marlow Lions in a match they could so easily have won..

The late draw for the cup saw our Lions denied the chance to play their first home fixture of the season and, once again, we traipsed westwards along the M4.

As the light drizzle fell on a breezy and overcast morning, Hearts emerged from the dressing room in their changed strip (aka the shirts being turned inside out). Despite a third successive weekend of travel, the team seemed fresh and were thoroughly excited about the fixture. In particular they were keen to avenge an unlucky defeat at the hands of Marlow Lions last season - a 3-2 loss, which they really should have won...

Hearts were also buoyed by their outstanding cup record (undefeated - this being their first cup match), a record we knew would stand until it was broken...

Unfortunately, the game turned out to be a bit like watching the match of the day repeat on Sunday morning, the game a carbon copy of the one we had seen before (albeit last season's fixture rather than last night's). The location being the only notable difference - the scoreline and the manner of the defeat identical to last season.

The Hearts Lions started well..we hurried the opposition into mistakes when we didn't have the ball and our passing and movement was exceptional as was our composure when we did have the ball. And although the first quarter was a little tentative, Hearts Lions deservedly took the lead - some lovely interplay on the edge of the box between Charlie, Joe and Sean and Will ghosting in to thump the ball home - 1-0 to Hearts!

The second quarter and Hearts took a near total grip on the game. More of the passing and movement and Charlie demonstrating some truly astounding skill and vision in a masterclass of left wing play. But despite the chances, we just simply could not get that vital second goal that would have killed the game and as the half time whistle blew, the score remained 1-0.

And so quarter three and more of the same, but perhaps a little loss of our own positional discipline saw Marlow start to create a little more. Nonetheless, it was looking odds on for a cup win for Hearts...but as with last season, we were once again tormented by their number 17. He was determined to get Marlow back in the game and did so with a sublime finish - 1-1.....but if (to quote Yogi) "Baseball is 90 percent mental. The other half is physical", then football (soccer) must be similar - our heads down from the first goal leading to an immediate lapse in concentration throughout the team and it was another goal..1-0 ahead to 2-1 behind in no more than 30 seconds and just before the end of the third quarter.

So a cup match, 2-1 down and a quarter to go....as Yogi said: when you come to a fork in the road, take it. A formation reshuffle, with 1 at the back, 4 in the middle and 3 upfront. The change had an almost immediate impact, with the Lions falling 3-1 down with 10 minutes to play...

Rather than letting their heads drop, Hearts re-found their confidence and got back to playing football. The passing and movement returned and Daniel led the team into the (Marlow) Lions' den and back into the match. His box to box running saw a last ditch challenge at one end and then a marauding run up the pitch where he unleashed a fierce shot into the bottom corner....3-2 to Marlow, 8 minutes to play and Hearts were flying again...

We forced corner after corner - Sean running up to get his head on the ball reminiscent of Peter Schmeicel in the European Cup, but we just could not force the thoroughly deserved equaliser.

As Yogi famously said, you can observe a lot by watching, and we saw great character, great sportsmanship and some fantastic football from our Lions. And a special mention to Marlow, who were a total pleasure to play against.

A first home fixture of the season next week and a chance to get back to winning ways.