Charterhouse v Westminster School
On: Tuesday 19 September
Venue: Westminster School
Score: Win 3 - 1
North we travelled, chugging up the A3 in valiant hopes of making a 3 pm kick off, safe in the knowledge that such a thing wasn't ever within the realms of the possible. And so it proved. Once the game started we were solidity personified. Every man jack competed and won his tackles, every header a personal crusade, every tackle a test of resilience and every block a cry of defiance. And before long, Becks, who had more long throws than Peyton Manning, was flinging a ball into the mixer for Shedden to flick and Ford to notch. Football science. It's hard to play at Westminster and we've had some tough results there in the past. As a result, the game invariably becomes less almond-suede dressing gowned tiki taka and more 'Oi Tel, stick it in the &£&@ing mixer'. The ends justify the means and all that. No way was Machiavelli an Arsenal fan.
That said, there then followed two really quite tasty goals. First, Westminster pulled the Charterhouse back line across the pitch before a fine cross led to a volleyed equaliser. Then the excellent Wilman started a wonderful, flowing move, which culminated in a whipped Gilbey cross before a fine finish from the onrushing Ross Richardson. Ten minutes after the break, Garrard brought breathing space, smashing in a shot from distance beyond the despairing Westminster keeper.
And so, like Peter the Great before us, we travel to Godalming having had a successful trip to the capital. The traffic is slow but at least it's allowed us to marvel at the food intake of the Charterhouse U14A coach, who, not content with his massive plate of pasta and meatballs, has just munched through the cheese and pickle sandwich I'd saved for the journey home. Before having the last remaining KitKat. Cheers Bickers.