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FA INTER-LEAGUE CUP QUARTER-FINAL PLAYED AT CORINTHIAN-CASUALS F.C., TOLWORTH Match report from David Lederman (Old Harrovians)  The Arthurian League Representative side sealed their place in the semi-finals of the FA Inter-League Cup with a narrow, but thoroughly deserved, 1-0 win over the Thames Valley Premier League at Corinthian-Casuals FC on Saturday afternoon. In a tight, scrappy encounter played on a heavy pitch in southwest London, the Arthurian side enjoyed most of the possession and created the clearer chances to score, but had to wait until the 72nd minute to turn their superiority on the field into a lead on the scoreboard, Alleynians winger Sam Fetherston slotting home from close range following a spell of sustained pressure. Thames Valley created little throughout and having fallen behind never looked capable of forcing extra-time. Victory earns the Arthurian League a semi-final tie against the Herts Senior County League on the evening of March 16th with the venue to be confirmed in due course. Following a hard-fought 2-1 win over the Amateur Football Combination in the previous round, the Arthurian League XI, led as always by the ever-enthusiastic Old Forester Billy Jenkins, anticipated an equally tough challenge in a first ever meeting against the Thames Valley League. Thames had defeated the Dorset Premier League 2-0 in the first round in a game played at Henley Town FC, with the vast majority of their squad for Saturday’s tie drawn from two of the top five teams in the Premier Division: leaders Westwood Wanderers and fifth-placed Holyport Reserves.  For the Arthurians, manager Billy Jenkins was forced to make five changes to his sixteen-man squad from the win over the AFC. Brentwoods skipper Peter Brooking missed out through injury, although he still made the effort to support the side on the day, with Forest duo Tayo Felstead and Harry Ellis also absent, as well as Kimboltonian Henry Langley and Carthusian Ashley Beddows – although Anthony Beddows was fit to take his place alongside Reptonian Andy Evans at the heart of the back four. Old Alleynian Sam Fetherston started on the right wing, Premier Division leading scorer Josh Riley of the Old Reptonians on the left, with Johnians skipper – and the man entrusted with the armband on the day – Craig Bonnar ling up just behind striker Jake Raine, another Old Reptonian. Chigwellian Josh Banfield and Brentwoods’ Harry Larke formed the central midfield pairing with Carthusian Sam Thomas at right-back and Reptonian Fraser Lane at left-back. Keeper Ollie Bowles was the second Brentwoods player in the starting lineup, with the five substitutes featuring two Reptonians, an Alleynian, a Harrovian and another Brentwoods player. Conditions down in Tolworth for the 3pm kick-off were about as good as could be expected, with the game kicking off in bright sunshine and the pitch soft but clearly playable, Corinthians’ groundstaff having worked tirelessly to ensure the tie would go ahead as planned. Perhaps understandably, as both sets of players became accustomed to the conditions underfoot, the Arthurians made a slightly nervy start to the encounter, with both the centre-backs Evans and Beddows finding themselves under early pressure from a high press that almost yielded a couple of early chances for the opposition. Keeper Ollie Bowles was alert to any danger however and, as the half progressed, it was the men in white who began to impose themselves on the game – just as the manager had asked them to do prior to kick-off.  The Arthurians enjoyed particular success down their left flank with full-back Fraser Lane and Josh Riley reprising their Repton partnership to great effect, several flowing moves causing problems for the over-worked Thames Valley right-back. A free-kick was won in a dangerous position midway inside the visitors’ half but disappointingly curled well beyond the players waiting inside the box, a couple of corners also came to nothing. Riley attempted a spectacular overhead kick from close to the penalty spot but only succeeded in firing the ball straight up in the air, Fetherston saw his effort from the right well saved by the Thames Valley keeper. It was almost one-way traffic for the remainder of the half, with the Arthurian defence snuffing out what little threat they faced, the midfield duo of Banfield and Larke controlling the middle of the pitch. Larke, in particular, began to grow in stature as the half progressed, confidently striding forwards with the ball at his feet and spreading play out wide whenever possible. Perhaps the only disappointing aspect of the first half was the failure to carve out a decisive opportunity: Bonnar, Raine, Fetherston and Larke himself all had efforts at goal prior to the break but either fired wide or were foiled by Thames Valley keeper Will Cullum, who was by now the busiest man on the pitch. In contrast, his opposite man Ollie Bowles had become almost a spectator, such was the level of protection afforded to him by his teammates.  Management duo Billy Jenkins and Nicky Samra kept the same eleven for the start of the second half, with fairly unanimous agreement among the squad that the game was plainly there to be won, Thames Valley having barely created a chance of note in the opening forty-five minutes. But, disappointingly, the opening twenty minutes of the second half proved incredibly scrappy, with the previous dominance of those in white replaced by a fairly even, if remarkably dour midfield battle. Thames Valley dropped into a slightly deeper block and competed gamely in the middle of the pitch, with the result that neither keeper was really tested in this period. The Arthurian back four, led by the centre-backs Evans and Beddows, remained comfortable and it was almost impossible to see how the opposition would score. But the lack of any sustained pressure from the Arthurians was now a concern and manager Billy Jenkins had seen enough. Off came striker Jake Raine, who had earlier taken a knock, and, shortly afterwards, the skipper Craig Bonnar. In their stead came Reptonian Tommy Redhead and Harrovian Will Payne, who took his place on the right wing, Josh Riley moving up front and Sam Fetherston over to the left. It was at this point in the game that as players on both sides began to tire, space began opening up and, just as in the first half, it proved to be the men in white who took advantage.  A corner from the left provided the first indication that a breakthrough may be forthcoming, substitute Tommy Redhead swivelling to fire home from close range, but the joy was short-lived – an immediate flag from the linesman ruling out that effort. But moments later the Arthurians did find the back of the net and this time it counted. Winger Sam Fetherston cut inside the centre-half on the left of the area, working himself an inch of space, before producing a low sidefoot finish. Although the shot wasn’t the most powerful, the Thames Valley keeper made a hash of the save, somehow allowing the ball to squirm under his body and into the net.
Fewer than twenty minutes remained but the visitors never looked capable of finding an equaliser. Instead, it was the Arthurian League who poured forwards, Redhead seeing another effort well saved by the keeper, Payne enjoying plenty of space down the right and causing problems for his full-back. Although a definitive second goal continued to elude them, the Arthurians remained in full control and saw out the remainder of the tie with the minimum of fuss. The side are now one game away from a final at St George’s Park, but first they must overcome the Herts Senior County League on March 16th with the game taking place at Hendon FC. Attendance: 65
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