:: Reserves Report - By ‘The Red Leg’.

A distant rumble jolted Sam and his pal Johnson as they were playing in the backyard of their Elsternwick home. Both turned to each, their eight-year-old eyes full of inquisitiveness. Though not a word was uttered, their looks said it all. ‘What was that sound?’

In the neighbouring streets, Mick Carty, looking splendid in his Old Melburnians apparel, had just picked up the first passenger on his Magoos Bandwagon, one Erwin Leyden, before thundering down the Nepean.

"I was answering the call of the Carts. Willo’s hammy couldn’t handle the number of messages he was wheeling out," the premiership coach was spotted whispering to our 2002 cup. "You need a man to do a man’s job."

Carts would have been pleased with what he saw as his bandwagon rolled into VAFA HQ. For whatever reason, those operating the scoreboard deemed it unnecessary to remove last weekend’s scores, which showed Ajax on the wrong end of a 109-67 scoreline. And the sight of 20 young Old Melburnians (and two old ones in Gussy and Jenks) marauding in the centre square mud pit eager to get their hands dirty would have warmed the cockles of his heart.

For the first time since the start of the season, Carts faced the dilemma of who to leave out. Due to bail complications, Simon Theodore could not get to the ground in time so that problem was solved.

While it was clear early on we would win, the team was not happy with the 14-point margin at quarter time. The good teams have beaten Ajax by 40 or more points, we were told, so that was what we had to aspire to.

Our second quarter was more what Carts had been hoping for. Thanks to the flawless ruckwork of Nick Lawler, our midfield of Clive Peters, Spider Webb, Guus Hiddink and Tom Bachet Houli ran rings around Ajax

"Just like Spiderman, it felt like I had an inbuilt contraption in my hand which allowed me to have the ball on a string," Webby told his injured partner in crime Ando after the game. "But it’s not the same without you on the field. Can we still go for a run after training on Tuesday?"

To Ajax’s credit, they pulled their finger out after half time and while they never got on top the match resembled a contest for the first time.

"It got willing there," said Rusty Caleb, the deliverer of an inspirational three-quarter time address. "I haven’t seen so many people swarm to a pack since I walked into Neighbours night at the Wheelbarrow last week. Granted, they weren’t there for me but still, you know what they say, fame by association."

Order was restored in the final quarter as the OMs, not satisfied with winning by nine goals, decided to do what other teams have done to them in the past - show no mercy.

Players were lining up to kick goals. That we managed 17 goals from 12 contributors with nobody getting a bag was testament to the evenness of the team’s performance.

"I was filthy to be one of the 10 not to get a goal," Super Snoop Ed Selby was heard telling Nick Stone before he ran out to play his game. "Hopefully Rocket stays in the 1s and I can win the 2s goalkicking."

The club takes on Caulfield back on the green, green grass of home at the Junction next Saturday.

Thanks to Fletch for running the boundary, Jozza was waving the calicos, Erwin for relaying messages from the box and birthday boy Matty and his buddy for running out the water.

Tags: A. Waddell, AJAX, N. Lawler, N. Peters, N. Russell, O. Webb, T. Bachet