Wednesday 23rd April 2008. The shadows lengthen across a pristine playing surface on a beautiful spring evening. A new season is upon us. Two teams line up to perform the pre-match ritual: a cursory shake of hands and a nod of the head before the first 90 minutes of the season is under way.

Lyn - on the back of two consecutive promotions - against Dania, a strong, athletic and hardworking team of Danish exiles. Eager to prove that the last two seasons are more than a flash in the pan, we take control from the outset. And what a start! Within a minute, the ball is worked forward to 16-year-old Torjus Tveiten just outside the D; a good first touch is followed by a cracking second and the ball powers its way like a projectile past the flailing keeper. 1-0 Lyn - a wonderful goal; we couldn't have asked for more.

Within minutes a new sweeping move ends at the feet of Daniel, free on goal, but an untypically hurried finish shows that it's still early season and this time the chance goes begging.

Gradually Dania recover their poise and work their way back into the game. Physical but fair, they start to win the important challenges and the game evens out. We become stretched, our forwards isolated, we start to play it long and rustiness turns to frustration. 20 minutes: the ball breaks in the area, a hint of offside, a toe poke, but the equaliser is no more than our opponents deserve. Half time and it's all square, one apiece.

At half time, we agree to be more compact. With so many talented ball-players in the side, we should play to our strengths; be more patient, pry for the openings, let the ball do the work. Pass and move, pass and move.

Yet despite our best intentions, the 2nd half opens in the worst possible way. Dania win the ball deep in our half, their pacy centre forward gets away from our otherwise immensely impressive centre backs, rounds Victor in goal and manages to lift his finish over the despairing leg of the covering defender. A fine individual piece of skill and it's 1-2.

It seems that this is the wake-up call we need. The rest of the half sees us take over. Dania become tired and ragged, their forays forward less and less frequent, the clearances ever more desperate as we knock the ball about with increasing confidence. The only thing missing is the final product: Daniel strikes the bar with a flicked header, Henrik does likewise with a powerful shot. Chances go astray, roll just wide and the clock begins to tick down.

85 minutes - the move of the match. One touch all the way, a delightful Mikkis through ball inside the fullback, and Anders G's finish is worthy of a greater stage. Arrowed into the far corner, the keeper given no chance.

2-2 is how it ends, despite 5 minutes of added time. A fair result after 90 minutes plus of intense football, and ample proof that we'll have to work hard for points this season.

Thanks to the ref for a good performance, and to Dania, who we'll meet again at the end of June, for a hard and fair match.

Next match: Wednesday 30th April - Lyn v Press, Kringsjå, 20:15.