With just 3 games to play before the finals it was an opportunity to freshen up the starting line-up and give everyone the opportunity the chance to stake their claim for a place·in the finals. With that in mind, in came Digby,·Joey, Olly, and Jade.·With Neil Catlett·leading the attack in place of the out of form Stephen Wright. Rumors of·a breakdown in negotiations over a new contract or a potential multi-million transfer to arch rivals GNS seem to be having an adverse effect on the striker. Wright hadn't even finished cutting the oranges in the dug-out when Catlett staked his claim on the number 9 jersey, Firing low and hard from the top of the D to put the hosts 1-0 up. A second was soon to follow after some neat dribbling at the top of the D allowed O'Neill the opportunity to get away a strike. The keeper parried but Catlett was on hand with the re-bound. 10 mins gone and 2 nil up. It only took another 5 mins for Catlett to wrap up his first Easts hat-tick when he calmly clipped a neat penally flick into the back of the net. Mr T Adams then got in on the scoring act, a nice habit he has picked up of late, and put the home team 4 nil up. Catlett then added a fourth to make it 5-nil at half-time.

The pace of the game dropped a little in the second half and it wasn't until midway through the second half that the men in blue reopened the scoring. Wright, now on the pitch and with a point to prove raced down the left flank before crossing neatly to Burges at the far post. Digby, ever the Gent, elected to play the ball of the post and into the path of O'Neill who collected neatly and dragged the ball back on his reverse stick before firing low to the bottom corner for his 6th of the season and Easts 6th of the night. It was only a matter of time before the one they call "Kiwi Stig" got in on the scoring. The first involved converting a cross-shot from Catlettat the left post, the second was a calm finish after being set up by man on fire, Neil Catlett. Adams then wrapped up the scoring, with his second of the night and taking his season total into double figures. A solid performance by all capped off by a clean sheet at the back. There will be tougher fixtures ahead but this win saw Easts move back to the top of the table after GNS slipped up to the Shire boys, going down 3-2 at Sutherland. East now sit 2 points clear at the top with a far superior goal difference·and just 2 games to play. But as the GNS result shows, anything can happen at this level, just ask Neil Catlett.