Arthurian League 0 Herts Senior County League 2

 The Arthurian League Representative XI’s hopes of glory in their first ever appearance in the FA Inter-League Cup were brought to a crashing end on Saturday evening when they were defeated 2-0 by the Herts Senior County League at Hendon FC in north London. Despite enjoying more of the ball in both halves and creating numerous half-chances, the Arthurians couldn’t find a way past the Herts 'keeper and were made to pay for their profligacy in front of goal when their opponents struck twice with long-range efforts from the left in the final quarter of an hour. The disappointment at failing to reach the final, to be played at St George’s Park, and the opportunity to represent England against other European nations will linger long in the memory of all those involved. This was a game the Arthurian League could, and should, have won.
 
Nobody will have felt the stinging pain of this semi-final defeat more than manager Billy Jenkins and his two assistants, Nicky Samra and Jon Hunter. All three have poured considerable time and energy into ensuring the Arthurian League’s inaugural appearance in the Inter-League Cup proved a successful one. The fact that the competition is only played on a biennial basis should only serve to increase the team’s resolve to go one better in two years’ time.
 
Following a narrow but relatively comfortable 1-0 victory over the Thames Valley League in the quarter-final, nobody in the Arthurian League camp was labouring under the impression that this would prove another stroll in the park. The two sides have met a couple of times in recent years and fixtures have always proved highly competitive. Indeed, the Herts League claimed the impressive scalp of the Southern Amateur League in the first round of this year’s competition with a penalty shootout win following a 2-2 draw in ninety minutes. The Herts League also have considerable pedigree in the event, having reached the final back in 2014, losing the final away to the Isle of Man League.
 
For this semi-final, played on the artificial surface at Hendon FC, manager Billy Jenkins was able to name a very similar squad to last time. There were several changes required in defence, with Ant Beddows and Sam Thomas (Carthusians) and Fraser Lane (Reptonians) unable to travel. Assistant manager Nicky Samra started at right-back with Brentwood’s Charlie Rolls at left-back and Ed Jackson partnering Andy Evans in the middle – making it three Reptonians out of four. Otherwise the side had a very familiar feel to it, the only other change from the starting XI in the quarter-final the addition of Tommy Redhead to the number ten role, skipper Craig Bonnar moving up front in place of the injured Jake Raine. Among the substitutes, Etonian Gus Shaw-Stewart deserved special mention as he travelled having already played for the Old Etonians in their League fixture against the Carthusians earlier in the day.
 
Conditions in north London for the 6.45pm kick-off were excellent with a light breeze and the pitch offering an immaculate surface for the players to get the ball down and play – in stark contrast to the rather heavy, uneven conditions on the grass at Corinthian-Casuals last time out. Both sides threatened early on, skipper Bonnar enjoyed the first chance of the game, smashing a shot just over the bar from the right side of the penalty area, before keeper Ollie Bowles was given his first test of the evening, a relatively straightforward shot that he claimed comfortably.
 
The Arthurians gradually began to impose themselves on their opponents, switching play confidently from side to side and unafraid to test the full-backs with a few direct balls down the channels. With fifteen minutes played, and the men in white clearly in the ascendency, one of the defining moments of the evening arrived. An excellent spell of possession inside the Herts half saw the ball worked out to the left and fed into Josh Riley. The Repton man, leading scorer in the Premier Division, appeared to have executed his effort to perfection, turning inside before lashing a shot towards the top corner. Somehow, the Herts keeper flung out a hand and the slightest touch of his fingertips proved sufficient to divert the ball onto the inside of the far post, the ball rolling along the goal line before being cleared to safety. Although they weren’t to know at the time, it would prove the closest the hosts would come to scoring all night.
 
Arthurian dominance continued in both possession and territory but the hosts were forced into an early change when centre-back Ed Jackson was forced off with a knee injury, his persistent tendonitis flaring up despite considerable rest in the build up to the tie. Alleynian Jake Fetherston was the replacement, requiring a re-jig from the manager, several players switching positions, including skipper Craig Bonnar who now dropped back into the number ten role. But the Arthurians remained on top, despite the disruption to the starting formation. Steady pressure down the left saw corners and free-kicks won, but despite some excellent deliveries from Charlie Rolls, the Herts League defended stoutly.
 
The opposition had, to this point, threatened very sporadically, their two front men rather starved of possession but looking lively whenever the ball was in their vicinity. On the half-hour mark they bared their teeth for the first time however, the striker holding the ball strongly on the left under pressure before whipping a cross in to the near post, his partner’s flick header flying just wide of the far post. But having escaped, the Arthurians were then dealt a second unfortunate blow when Nicky Samra was kicked strongly from behind and jarred his knee on landing. Although he tried to continue, manager Billy Jenkins was forced to make his second change, Shaw-Stewart a straight swap at right-back.
 
This time the disruption to the hosts’ play was noticeable, with the final fifteen minutes of the half a far more even contest between the two teams. For the first time on the night, play was now concentrated inside the Arthurian half, although the hosts defended diligently. Herts created one half-chance, a corner was cleared but a strong run down the left ended with a decent low shot that Bowles did well to get down to. The Arthurians launched a similar attack down their left, the resulting cross-shot evaded the keeper but there was nobody at the far post to apply the finishing touch.
 
Having already been forced into two changes, there was no sense in manager Jenkins making any further alterations at the break. Just as in the previous round against the Thames Valley League, the Arthurians remained confident that perseverance and a continuing commitment to get the ball down and play would eventually bring the desired rewards. And for much of the second half, there seemed little reason to doubt this optimism.
 
The Arthurians continued to out-pass their opponents, although the opening quarter of an hour brought very few chances. But as players began to tire and the game became more open, so the men in white began to find chinks in their opponents’ armour. Rolls whipped in another delicious cross from the left only for Tommy Redhead’s strong header to be well claimed by the keeper. The Arthurians then concocted their best move of the game, a flowing counter that involved one and two-touch football down the middle of the pitch only for Riley to fire his final effort just over the bar. Harry Larke then provided another fine cross with his left foot, Sam Fetherston again just too high with his attempted header.
 
As the game ticked into the final fifteen minutes, a goal seemed inevitable. And it duly arrived, but at the wrong end. Herts worked the ball down their left but there seemed little sense of danger until the winger, the main threat on the night, turned and, finding himself in five yards of space, chanced his arm and smashed a low shot into the far bottom corner from over thirty yards out, keeper Ollie Bowles beaten by the sheer power and accuracy of the effort.
 
Seven minutes later, with the Arthurians still reeling from the concession of the first goal, the tie was put beyond them with a second, almost identical strike from the left. This time the ball was worked into the area but the strike was just as true, just as precise, Bowles unsighted as the ball sped past him into the far corner.
 
Harrow winger Will Payne was immediately summoned off the bench but it proved too little, too late, the Herts side seeing out the final ten minutes under some pressure but without conceding anything approaching a clear chance.
 
There was little to reproach the Arthurian side for, another strong display that only lacked the finishing touch proving not quite enough against a decent Herts League side. Herts must now wait a week to discover who they will face in the final at St George’s Park in the final. For the Arthurian League, the wait for their next shot at success will go on a little while longer.