Arthurian League
Junior League Cup 1st Round
Saturday 8th January 2022
Kick Off 11.00 Actual 12.02
Old Albanians S.A. 4 Old Johnians 4 (6-7 pens), attendance 2
9’ 1-0
19’ 2-0
20’ 2-1
45’ 3-1
47’ 3-2
82’ 3-3
90’ 4-3
90’+ 2, 4-4
@ St. Joan of Arc Catholic School, 3G Pitch
High Street
Rickmansworth
WD3 1HG
No Admission or Programme.
I came here for this fixture back on 11th December, but neither team turned up. Apparently it was postponed due to the visitors being unable to fulfil the early kick off slot. It was a pity that the F.A. Full Time website hadn’t been updated to show this. Today offered a second opportunity to see a game here, (it’s just a standard cage, with no spectator area, but no problem watching inside the fence) but not without the drama/farce of a double booking of the pitch, which finally saw the game kick off 62 minutes late!
The match was 3rd in Division 4 versus top of Division 2. Albanians took an early lead, before two cracking 25 yarders, sandwiched by Johnians pulling a goal back, saw the hosts lead 3-1 at the break. Johnians dominated the second half, but despite pulling a goal back within minutes of the restart, it wasn’t until eight minutes from time before they deservedly drew level at 3-3. Albanians went back in front as the clock hit ninety minutes, but were immediately down to ten men, as the scorer picked up a second yellow card in a matter of minutes, the first for a foul, then the second for taking his shirt off during the goal celebrations. There was still time for Johnians to make it 4-4, heading in a corner at the far post a couple of minutes into stoppage time.
It was straight to penalties. The first 12 kicks were scored, before Albanians missed the next one. Their ‘keeper never looked like getting near any of the penalties, diving when the ball was already past him (rather like Peter Shilton for England at Italia 90), so it was no surprise that Johnians won it with the next kick, taking the shootout 6-7. (wrongly shown as 4-5 on pens on F.A. Full Time)
The late kick off meant my planned double for today was now down to just two options. It was just a case of whether I chose the 15.00 or 16.00 kick off, both of which were 3G pitches.
