FC St. Pauli

The satisfaction was tangible after the glorious opening at VfL Bochum last week, when the Boys in Brown turned on the style in the first 20 minutes only to go in at half-time with nothing to show for it. And when the home side cranked up the pressure after the interval, it was Christopher Buchtmann who grabbed the winner from Sami Allagui's pass to send the travelling fans wild with delight.

Yet that's all in the past now. The result can serve only as motivation for the tough challenge posed by Dynamo Dresden. Last season's fifth-placed side come to the Millerntor full of confidence. True, they will be without Pascal Testroet, who sustained a serious knee injury against MSV Duisburg on the opening day. But Uwe Neuhaus's side showed tremendous desire and power to force an 88^th winner from the head of Lucas Röser.

Their ranks will include a player who ran out for the Boys in Brown last term after Sören Gonther moved down the Elbe to sign for the Saxony outfit during the summer. It should come as no surprise that Gonni is delighted to be returning so quickly. "It's obviously a very special away game with my new club at my old love," he said. And the Boys in Brown cannot wait to seeing their former captain, too. "Who isn't looking forward to landing a blow on his fat feet?" joked Bernd Nehrig. "He'll have earned it with all the comments he used to throw our way in the dressing room."

"A very special away game with my new club at my old love."

Anyone looking for statistical backing that it's going to be an entertaining game should know that second-division matches between St. Pauli and Dynamo Dresden never end all square. The Boys in Brown have also won every home game against the Saxons at this level. So all that's left to be said is: "roll on Monday!"

Photo: Witters