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FA INTER-LEAGUE CUP ROUND 2 PLAYED AT DORKING WANDERERS F.C. Match report from Peter Brooking (Old Brentwoods)  Following on from the Arthurian Representation team’s success in the Argonaut Trophy 2022/2023 competition following wins against the Southern Amateur League and Amateur Football Combination. The team entered into the FA Inter-League Cup 2023/2024 campaign. The Cup is limited to National League System and feeder leagues and other leagues as decided by The FA. It was created with the intention of finding a winning league representative side to fly the flag for England in the UEFA Regions Cup. The Arthurian Representative Team began the 2024 year with a friendly match against Lloyds of London on a cold evening on the 10th January over at Barnet FC's ground. The Arthurian Team dominated the game and ended up successfully winning 4-2 which in truth could have been a far wider margin. This extended the team's undefeated run to three matches.  In the first round of the FA Inter-League Cup the team drew neighbours AFC (Amateur Football Combination). The Arthurian side routed the opposition 6-0 to win the Argonaut Trophy last season at Potters Bar Town FC. However they expected stronger opponents this time round. Management team including (Manager - Billy Jenkins, Assistant Coaches - Jon Hunter & Nicky Samra) had a big selection headache ahead of the key fixture. The team are fortunate to have a huge depth of quality throughout the entirety of the Arthurian League and to narrow it down to 16 players is never an easy task. The final squad included; Oliver Bowles (GK) (Old Brentwoods), Peter Brooking (C) (Old Brentwoods), Harry Larke (Old Brentwoods), Josh Banfield (Old Chigwellians), Will Payne (Old Harrovians), Henry Langley (Old Kimboltonians), Tayo Felstead (Old Foresters), Harry Ellis (Old Foresters), Nicky Samra (Old Reptonians), Josh Riley (Old Reptonians), Jake Raine (Old Reptonians), Ashley Beddows (Old Carthusians), Anthony Beddows (Old Carthusians), Sam Thomas (Old Carthusians), Craig Bonnar (Old Johnians). With 8 different teams represented throughout the squad, this again demonstrates the depth in quality of the league.  The AFC named a stronger side from the one in the Argonaut Trophy with a heavy presence from Dorkinians, Honourable Artillery Company and Wandsworth Borough. The tie was hosted at the Meadwoodbank Stadium, the home of Dorking Wanderers. On a cold windy night in Surrey with a crowd of around 75 in attendance (predominately local support for the AFC side) but with some loyal Arthurian away fans! The stage was set for a good battle between the sides and the game. AFC started the more strongly, letting the Arthurian side have the ball at the back and then when setting into midfield triggered the press to win the ball and break with numbers. The Arthurian side had a few half chances during the first half through a decent effort inside the box and then a great header from a corner although neither really troubling the goalkeeper. A vocal home crowd began to encourage the AFC side on and a flurry of decent chances led to the breakthrough with their number 9 (Craig Kingswell) cutting inside to bury the ball into the bottom corner. Some great saves from keeper Oliver Bowles kept the scoreline at 1-0, along with some good blocks from Peter Brooking and the Beddows brothers. The Arthurian side struggled to get a grip on the game with a few stray passes and Henry Langley picked up an unfortunate yellow card just before the half-time break. A few dubious 50/50's not going the Arthurian sides way led to some frustration going into the half.  Plenty of work was needed from Billy's boys in white and blue to get themselves back into the game. A strong team talk from the management team and the squad identified the key areas that were needed to improve on in order to turn the game around. Jake Raine came on for Henry Langley at half-time which was the first change made by the side. In the second half the Arthurian side game out flying and didn't let the AFC out of their half for the first ten minutes. Some superb pressing from the front 4 led to sloppy passing and some patient build-up allowed the Arthurian team to pin the AFC in and get some great opportunities off. Anthony Beddows came close with a header from one of many corners from the side that second half. Josh Riley had two half chances as he cut inside. Jake Raine along with the ever stronger midfield had a few decent chances too. With the Arthurian side knocking on the door it was important to not concede another with Oliver Bowles again alert to danger on a number of occasions. Sam Thomas went off injured with a hamstring problem which led to Tayo Felstead coming on in his place. Then in the 70th minute the Arthurian side finally got the goal that they deserved through a goal-line scrap with Jake Raine slotting the ball into the net. This proved to be the catalyst that the team needed to kick on and five minutes later fellow Reptonian Josh Riley followed suit slotting the ball into the bottom corner past the goalkeeper. A superb hard press from our front four of Jake Raine, Josh Riley, Craig Bonnar and Harry Ellis put the AFC side under great pressure. In a short space of time the game had effectively been flipped on its head.  Josh Riley and Jake Raine both had two half chances which missed, both of which would have been in with a chance of the Puskas Award!
The midfield pairing of Harry Larke and Josh Banfield had really stepped up a gear in the second half and dominated the midfield battle. Some great pressing, passing and desire to track back was personified by Josh Riley when their player was bearing down on goal and slid in to block a shot in the 85th minute. Oliver Bowles again was superb and denied the AFC twice in the final minutes of the game to keep the scoreline at 2-1. After a final nail-biting few minutes the referee blew the fulltime whistle and the comeback was complete. A great game for the neutrals with the Arthurian side progressing to the next round. But it was close and a resilient AFC pushed the Arthurian side to the very end. A quarter final home tie awaits the Arthurian side against the winners of Thames Valley Premier League vs Dorset Premier League. The quarter final tie will take place around the 17th/24th of February.
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 This Saturday the Arthurian League representative team - proudly led by Old Forester, Billy Jenkins - makes its FA Inter-League Cup debut against the Amateur Football Combination. The game will be played at the Surrey FA's headquarters in Dorking - also home to National League Dorking Wanderers - with a 6pm kick-off. We would love to see as many of you there as can make it to cheer the team on! If they win, the team face three more games in the bid to become the Amateur champions of England and earn the right to represent England in the UEFA Regions Cup! The Amateur Football Combination versus The Arthurian League How to get there South West Trains services depart London Waterloo at 24 minutes past each hour, arriving at Dorking (main) station 50 minutes later. The station is a 15 minute walk from the ground. Return services depart Dorking at 32 minutes past each hour, arriving at London Waterloo 54 minutes later. Unfortunately, first class accommodation is not available on any of these services. |
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