FRANK MIGHT HAVE MADE THE DIFFERENCE

In the shadow of the school chapel at Charterhouse, where a 1,000 or so Carthusians who fell fighting for our country in both wars and more recently, are remembered, the Old Carthusians and the Old Brentwoods met in the Arthur Dunn Cup, a knockout cup for teams from Independent Schools played for since 1903. Charterhouse had lost to the OBs earlier in the season but this time, with the team in full flow, typically Carthusian style, the home team scored seven (7), yes seven, before the OBs could reply. On a perfect pitch, on a classic winter's sunny afternoon, the two teams played out a tie that deserved a 7-6 result rather than the apparent drubbing. The Brent's were lively for most of the game and never gave up, but four goals in the first half, two Ogs and two brilliant strikes on the break, left the opposition from Essex and Frank Lampard's old school, facing an uphill challenge. Will Young did well in goal for the Carthusians, to keep his sheet clean until the end and Ant Beddows was a monster in the heart of the defence. But it was the brilliant wide play that undid the OBs, with both flanks, mastered by Jack Ryder-Smith, Julian Hornby and the overlapping full backs James Rogers and Hugo Rubinstein prominent. It was then up to Alex Fenton to inflict the early damage.

On to the next round and maybe another Cup Final.#FootballRemembers.