SIDAWAY, a one-time director of some repute, had the perfect metaphor to inspire his cast of players. The match would be like a visit to the theatre, or even the cinema. The performance would require ninety minutes of concentration if we were to avoid losing the plot. Sadly for Logica, it transpired that we were in fact watching a five act tragedy.

Being familiar with this particular Chelsea set of players after two encounters just before Christmas, Sidaway was also at pains to warn against our opponents' aerial threat. In beating Logica 3-1 back in December, Chelsea had scored all of their goals courtesy of headers from set-pieces. Thus, we were to organise quickly, mark tightly and get in a challenge at these situations. Logica fluffed their lines in the opening scene though. The home side won a corner inside the first minute, and an unmarked Chelsea player was able to score with a free header from just five yards out (0-1).

The script took a turn towards the tragic when Chelsea scored a splendid second goal on twenty minutes. Their midfielder collected the ball on the edge of the penalty area, and curled a superb shot with the outside of his foot, right into the top corner. Groom had no chance (0-2).

Our heroes fared no better with 'Take Two' of the set-piece scene. A corner from the other side somehow eluded three defenders and fell to Chelsea's unmarked centre-forward, this time just three yards out. He didn't really make a clean connection with the ball, but it somehow bobbled in slow motion between two wrong-footed defenders on the line to nestle somewhat embarrassingly in the back of the net (0-3).

After the interval, the story-line flirted with a minor twist before continuing to its inevitable conclusion. A hamstrung Abbott hobbled off to be replaced by Sutton, but it was Taylor, switching to a striking role, who took centre-stage briefly. A Chelsea goal-kick was directed straight at the Logica man. Taylor controlled the ball on his chest before unleashing a volley from fully thirty yards which beat a flailing keeper and dipped in just under the bar (1-3). Definitely a contender for Goal of the Season.

Another Logica goal now and the game might have been afoot. But any mystery as to the outcome soon disappeared as Chelsea added two further goals. First a long ball was misjudged by Groom who came rushing out of his penalty area. The Chelsea centre-forward was first to the ball and shot low past the stranded keeper (1-4). A Trovato clearance was then charged down by Chelsea's right winger, who dribbled along the bye-line before cutting the ball back to the same forward, who stroked it home for his fourth goal of the game (1-5).

This was Groom's debut in the Director's chair, and he showed some early promise. He easily slipped into the role of Supremo by first picking himself in goal, and later by taking the kit home to wash in the absence of any volunteers. He also showed strong leadership credentials outside the noncey French pastry shop, by having no truck with tardy Pups (Rafferty continuing his audition for a part in The Invisible Man by failing to appear for the third consecutive match in which he has been selected). But Groom did commit the schoolboy Supremo error of turning up without a pen (of any colour). Lets just hope that the Logica players can rewrite the script against Sportobello next week.