FC St. Pauli

After the famous victory in the Hamburg derby, the Boys in Brown were unanimous in their intent to build on that triumph next time out against VfL Osnabrück. No sooner said than done. Another impressive showing carried them to a deserved three-point haul. Back-to-back wins, then, but no reason for Jos Luhukay's side to relax. On the contrary. "We can't afford to invest any less than we have done in the last few matches and will have to find a repeat those performances if we're to get a result at Sandhausen," said Waldemar Sobota in the run-up to the meeting with a Sandhausen side who picked up a point at Bochum last weekend to end a run of four successive defeats.

The erratic 4-4 draw at Bochum was more like a win for Sandhausen. After twice going two goals behind, they rallied to score twice late on to salvage an improbable point. Head coach Uwe Koschinat had every reason to be satisfied with the performance, and especially the morale showed by his team, coming as it did after a run of four defeats without a goal. "It was a first step and important to have got a result again. It's time to show the fans a different side to ourselves," said Koschinat.

Sandhausen will therefore be looking to step up another gear to claim their first three-point haul since the 3-1 success at Osnabrück but come up against a St. Pauli side not short on confidence in view of their recent upturn in form. Having gone 15 games without a win away from home before the 2-0 defeat of HSV in the derby, Jos Luhukay's side can secure a second successive away win on Sunday. But not for Johannes Flum, for whom a victory across the city does not count: "It's time we got our first 'genuine' away win this season," he said.

Just seven kilometres separate the two grounds, which is little more than spitting distance and thus not really an away game in the traditional sense. The trip to the BWT Stadium in Sandhausen is a little further, some 550 kilometres further to be more precise, so the six-hour return journey will seem much shorter with three points in the bag. The Boys in Brown will be without Henk Veerman (shoulder) and Sebastian Ohlsson (suspended) as they seek to extend their winning run. If they reproduce their recent form, they will every chance of doing so. And give themselves and the 3,000 or so travelling fans every reason to celebrate on the long trip home.

Photos: Witters