ON A crisp sunny Sunday morning in December two opposing bands of valiant warriors did riotous, muddy battle with a football on a field in the middle of the ancient Roman Camp.

The prize was the prestigious Millennium Challenge Plate held by Oldbury-on-Severn Cricket Club, winners of the last challenge.

It must be said that the cricket club were fearful of losing the match because of the alleged strength of their more experienced opponents the Dairy Maids.

The Maids undoubtedly possessed more players who, on paper, were capable of giving the cricket club a real drubbing. One of their tactics was to use a rolling substitutes technique, which effectively meant changing players whenever they felt fresher players were needed. This happened often throughout the game and after one change it was found that there were 13 Maids on the pitch!

The cricket club underdogs had no such luxury, managing to field only 11 players with no subs.

The "normal" Oldbury gentlemen's rules were used because no one was brave enough to referee the game.

As expected all went well for the Maids in the first half with the team 2-0 up, both goals scored by Simon "Striker" Stone.

Another Maids' tactic had been to encourage all players to make maximum use of "refreshment" breaks involving cider and port. This may not have been a wise move because action in the second half was swift and dramatic, at least on the part of the cricket club.

It was either the erratic Maids or the sight of Maids' catain Matt Clothier in skimpy Mother Christmas gear which inspired the cricket club to better footwork and resulted in them going into a 3-2 lead after 65 minutes following an excellent 30-yard strike by captain Nigel Hopkins.

Following more fumbling in the mud by both sides, minor injuries to soft amatomical parts and a great unwillingness to go near the ball by Dave Macdonald, both teams scored another goal each, the final winning goal from the cricket club coming in the dying seconds of the match.

Post match analysis recorded that Bob "The Cat" Ainsworth was an asset to the cricket club in his goalkeeping position. The Dairy Maids' player was given an award by his team mates for his services to sport (not falling over).

The cricket club, happy to retain possession of the Challenge Plate, look forward to fresh challenges in 2005. The Millennium Challenge Plate can be seen in its permanent home the Ship Inn. Only Oldbury parish groups or clubs may reply to any challenge for the plate, which must be issued each year by the group who won it the previous year.