Arthurian League

Arthur Dunn Cup 1st Round

Saturday 30th October 2021

Kick Off 11.00 Actual 11.14

Old Merchant Taylors’ 1 Old Shirburnians 2, attendance 3

26’ 0-1

39’ 1-1 (pen)

83’ 1-2

@ Merchant Taylors’ School

O.M.T. Colts Cricket Club Pitch

East Drive

off Sandy Lodge Lane

Northwood

HA6 2HT

No Admission or Programme.

Considering this is the most prestigious cup competition played for by the Arthurian League clubs, this was very low key. It was played on a pitch as far away from the changing rooms as it could possibly be, hemmed in by three cricket squares. The home team only had the bare eleven players and we kicked off fourteen minutes late, due to the Referee only arriving pitch side six minutes after we should have got underway. It didn’t attract much of a crowd either, with two of the three spectators being ground hoppers. There were 35 watching a schools match on another pitch, and as far as I could tell, none of them appeared to think they were watching the 1st team match, but with the goings on of recent weeks at Arthurian League matches I’ve attended, you never know.

The match itself produced something of an upset, at least as far as league positions go. Old Merchant Taylors’ are second in Division 2, whilst Old Shirburnians are top of Division 4. The visitors were well worth the win and should really have won more comfortably. They took the lead just past the midway point of the half, finishing one on one with the ‘keeper having been played clear. O.M.T. levelled from the penalty spot shortly before halftime.

The second half remained evenly contested. O.M.T. did hit the post, but that was as close as they came to edging ahead. The tie looked to be heading for extra time, but a one-two in the box was finished with a shot under the ‘keeper, to win it for O.S. with seven minutes left.

Despite the late kick off, the game was still over by 12.52, which left ample time to take in a second match.