Tuesday night at the Sugar House saw more Fred Perry t-shirts and Reebok Classics than you'd expect on the terraces of a north London Premiership clash. And just like the beautiful game, The Ordinary Boys' performance was a gig of two halves.

Playing to an enthusiastic throng of students and skinhead ska enthusiasts, their opening numbers, though loud and energetic, failed to utilise frontman Sam Preston's trademark vocals.

Indeed the intro of Going Underground was regurgitated so often, it might have sounded like a Jam CD being played too loud on repeat to the casual listener.

The turning point was On An Island - a crisper, catchier song featuring a sprightly piano intro. Something about the song's tempo allowed Preston's voice to carry with clarity, even after he had dived into the crowd with the mic.

From that moment on, the Brighton boys had the crowd in the palms of their cheeky Mockney hands.

They belted out lively renditions of Maybe Someday, Boys Will Be Boys and Talk, Talk, Talk. Preston's banter with the crowd became more articulate and meaningful as though he was performing to a collection of best mates.

Their influences are clear - Paul Weller, The Smiths, The Clash, The Ramones and even Madness - but on this evidence they'll get better with age. A slow start, but a great finish.