Late blitz sees hosts safely into quarter-finals

5 : 3
Old Carthusians Vets
  • December 9th 2018, Bank of England, 10:30am
  • Derek Moore Veterans Cup
  • Referee: Matt Cannon
  • Weather: Cloudy
  • Pitch: Fair
No. Starting XI Goals Yellow & Red Cards Subs On/Off
1 John Wyn-Evans (c)
2 Rupert Hoffen 60'
3 Tim Dalton
4 Nick Warner
5 Charlie Tweddle 45'
6 David Lederman 70' 80'
7 Paul Molloy
8 Quentin Baker 34'
9 Piers Bourke
10 Dominic Danos 70'
11 Harry Hoffen 40', 74' 80'
Substitutes
12 Edward Thorn 45'
13 Matt Davies 78' 50'
14 Dave Mutter 60'

A three-goal, eight-minute blitz midway through the second half finally extinguished a persistent, if fairly blunt, Old Carthusian challenge at the Bank of England Ground on Sunday morning, the OHAFC Veterans eventually running out 5-3 winners to pave the way for an intriguing quarter-final against the Derrick Moore Cup holders the Old Malvernians - and a repeat of the highly controversial semi-final from last season that the hosts won only after a heavily delayed kick-off.

The OHAFC lined up with one of their strongest squads in recent seasons with only the injured Phil Berry and Ed Poulter absent. The Dunn Cup-winning midfield quartet of Bourke, Baker, Molloy and Lederman were playing together for the first time in many seasons, and with both Hoffen brothers, Tim Dalton, Nick Warner and Charlie Tweddle all present, the side was basically a re-hash of the 1st XI that had been so successful in the first decade of the century. Indeed, such was the strength of the squad that three highly capable subs were named, with striker Matt Davies unlucky to miss out to Dom Danos as the second striker, alongside versatile utility men Dave Mutter and Ed Thorn.

Although the sun shone intermittently throughout Sunday’s encounter, the pitch was in less than ideal shape, with the heavy midweek rain leaving the central areas stodgy and liable to wear as the game progressed.

The opening twenty minutes proved fairly uneventful as both sides struggled to create chances of note. Skipper John Wyn-Evans, forced to don the gloves given the excellent availability from his troops, had had little to do before he was cruelly exposed to a one-on-one courtesy of a quite comedic slip from Charlie Tweddle: the visitors collected the ball in midfield and immediately launched forwards down their right. A back-pedalling Tweddle appeared to have positioned himself perfectly to intercept, but with immaculate timing slipped as the ball arrived, landing flat on his back to allow it to progress unhindered straight into the attacker’s path. Although the chance was gobbled up comfortably, the sight of Tweddle flat on his back saw several members of the Harrow side struggling to contain their mirth.

Fortunately, despite never really getting out of second gear, the hosts managed to turn the scoreline around prior to the break with two goals of their own. Lederman whipped in a corner to the near post and Baker glanced it goalwards towards the far post. Referee Matt Cannon was immaculately placed to spot that it had crossed the line before being cleared by a Charterhouse boot and, to the visitors’ credit, there were few complaints registered.

The second Harrow goal was the best of the game to that point, a flowing move that saw the ball switched from right to left and involving five or six of the side, finished with a flourish that saw Harry Hoffen collect Bourke’s square ball on the edge of the box, turn and curl a right-footed shot beautifully into the far top corner.

Matt Davies replaced Danos up front and Ed Thorn came on for the struggling Tweddle. But the first twenty minutes of the second half proved much like the first – little football of quality from either side and chances at a premium. Indeed, it was the visitors who perhaps looked the more threatening of the teams, although with Dalton and Warner in imperious form at the back Wyn-Evans was again left with little to do. In fact, it was from a rather bizarrely conceded free-kick that the Carthusians came closest. A ball forwards was well covered by Warner, who ushered Lederman out of the way by shouting ‘I’ve got it.’ Despite no Carthusian being within ten yards of the incident, a free-kick was awarded against the Harrow man for his non-specific call. A curious decision. From the indirect free-kick, the ball was hammered goalwards, flicking off a Harrow boot and Wyn-Evans got down smartly to save at his far post.

As space finally began to open up in the closing twenty minutes, the hosts eventually discovered some sort of rhythm and blitzed their opponents with three goals inside ten minutes to end the tie as a contest. Harry Hoffen turned his man inside the box and was caught from behind to earn a penalty. Lederman’s effort was a poor one, but he reacted quickest to the keeper’s block to smuggle the ball over the line to make it 3-1.

Moments later the winger created the fourth with a much better bit of play, beating two men down the right side of the box before chipping the ball to the far post for Hoffen to head in from practically on the line.

And the hosts put the result beyond doubt with an excellent fifth goal that again involved several players combining down the right to send Hoffen free, his perfect low cross to the far post was clinically swept home by Davies, Charterhouse looking well beaten by this stage.

To their credit however, they kept plugging away and, after hitting the bar with a thumping effort that bounced down inches in front of the goal line, managed to score twice in the final five minutes as the hosts relaxed a little too much.

Nevertheless, a solid enough performance from the black and white stripes to earn a place in the quarter-finals and a chance for revenge against a strong Malvern side. The teams will be meeting for the third time in the Cup in recent seasons with both sides having enjoyed one win apiece. The decider is scheduled for January 13th, again at the Bank of England.