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Division One for Ocean's Matchday as football returns to the BBC for the first time this season!

Into the top league. That's where Matchday is leading. That's where Ocean have taken the BBC with this football simulation.

The special screen format of Matchday displays an atypical Saturday afternoon, but a scene fairly well known to players of sports simulations on other micros. A stand in the background is full of spectators, some weird characters there are too. There's an electronic scoreboard which records the goal tally and counts down the time. No 45 minutes each way in this game. The Acorn and Ocean logos are painted on the hoardings.

The players are about to move into position on the ultra green sward. Wembley eat your heart out. It must be synthetic! Remarkably quiet for a big match.

Getting some life out of a micro must be very difficult. Some real vitality I mean. Many sports simulations fall flat. They just cannot cast the spell on the players which makes them forget how exciting the real thing is. Matchday wins through because the programmers and designers have created a very playable game, recognisably football.

Matchday can involve you (presumably as player/manager) versus the computer or versus a mate. The keys are user definable as in every good two player game. It's joystick compatible so you can lay back and play it cool like Glen Hoddle or get stuck in like Peter Reid.

The smooth sideways scrolling, clever sprite movement and design and character detection are all elements in the success of Matchday. The sprites are rather cherubic but clever design takes away the usual flat impression. The angle of the pitch helps give the effect of depth. And of course there are multiple shapes per sprite to create the movement on the ball. The goalkeepers are particularly leaden in their movement, crouched ready to spring. Hit the fire button and they dive left or right for spectacular saves.

The designers have come up with a system results in pretty realistic play. The player's attention is focussed in the area of the ball carrier. This is the sprite currently under control. The opposition have control of their nearest player. if you are playing the computer, then the old adage 'don't hang onto the ball too long' applies. Best to knock it out to the wings, Brian.

Jinking, dribbling and shielding the ball can all be achieved with considerable realism. What you can't do, once you get into the opposition penalty area, is take a dive! There are no fouls in this game. Therefore there is no ref. So no appealing for hand ball. Where in reality you would have obstructed or brought a man down, in Matchday, the chubby midfielder, defender or striker just rides the tackle and gets a head start on the path to goal.

The ball can go out of play. The computer takes a mean corner to the far post but, alas, no Terry Butcher to nod it down, alas no proper heading at all in Matchday. You can intercept the ball with your body or head and use this technique to push the ball past the opposing player.

If it's a goal kick, a defender steps up. It's difficult to get a decent clearance out of him and relieve the pressure area on your penalty area. He's a bit like a table football player with a weak left wrist in defence. The knack is to take a run at the ball and time your fire (or as it should be renamed for Matchday 'boot') key.

If the ball goes for a throw-in, a player automatically jogs over to take it. He doesn't wipe the ball on his shirt, nor does he grab a few yards wandering down the touchline. You can control the direction of the throw and a quick upfield throw can set an attack rolling.

Lifting the ball over defenders' heads is not difficult. But nor is lifting it over the bar! As you practice, the right moments to shoot become easier to judge. The first area to improve is your ability to quickly assess which of your players is now under keyboard or joystick control. This player can change quite rapidly as the ball bounces around out of tackles near the penalty area. The sooner you are in control, the quicker you can act.

Matchday is very playable. Artificial of course but very entertaining, especially in two player mode. It's the first sports simulation on the BBC which has really succeeded in providing a playable game on screen. Football Manager is excellent in its way but in Matchday, you are the player on the field. It's great running down the wing looking to centre the ball and your first goal, well, a dream come true! If you are a football fan then Matchday will not disappoint. If you are a games player then Matchday should prove a new challenge to your skills in a brand new environment.

It's appropriate that Ocean, who hale from Manchester and have Liverpool connections should be the ones to bring football coverage back onto the BBC this season. Three points to Matchday. A real winner.