Daniels Cup Football - 2010

A report form Chris Bartlett

This year's vintage ranged from 2009 leavers Dan Moloney and Nathan Elcox to three 1990 alumni old enough to be their fathers if they'd gone to Waingels Copse or the Piggott (myself, Mark "Chopper" Humphreys, and Simon Briscoe). Also on the team sheet were Sam Griffiths from 2007, Jamie Brown (2008), Harry Russell (2005), Jonathan Bell, Oli Connor, Matt Holt (1997) and captain Dave Watkins (1997).

Early doors the OBs were under the kosh due to unfamiliarity with each other and some of the referee’s interpretation of the laws of the game. Despite being close to his 39th year, hatchet-job Humphreys was still a master of the late tackle and put his mark on the game early on, teaching an adolescent 22 years his junior to show some respect and pack in the dribbling with a textbook hack. Yet, with 25 minutes gone and after fleeting contact from the Chopper, the school number 2 went down like he'd been taken out by a sniper's bullet, more like a pupil of Columbine than Sonning.

Once ressurected by the shrill whistle of the referee awarding a penalty, the tricky youngster was truly mortified to see stand-in keeper Bartlett pull off a diving save to keep the scores level at nil-nil. Having rarely ventured near the opposition penalty area during his career at Wokingham Town FC, First XI coach Derek Cottrell was probably not be aware of the school of thought that whoever wins the penalty should not take it.

The OBs defenders were lulled into a false belief that their keeper was the son of Gordon Banks and could stop everything and gave up trying to tackle the schools' attackers. Given two close range shooting opportunities after some defensive dithering, the school gratefully converted them to go into the break a brace to the good.

At half-time the OBs felt there was definitely a way back into the game, with skipper Dave Watkins moving up into midfield, and Jamie Brown dropping back. Possibly spurred into life by the school's shameful failure to provide oranges, the second half finally saw the OB's troubling the school keeper more frequently than the nesting birdlife. Supersized supersub Si Briscoe came on for Humphreys at the back, and with 20 minutes to go, the Old Blues pulled one back through a Sam Griffith’s wonder strike from 20 yards. Playing more like Brazil than Blue Coats, the OB's were dominant, and a mazy run by Briscoe nearly set up the score-levelling strike. The school's forward forays were generally comfortably dealt with, Dave Watkins putting in a sterling performance across the field, capped by some towering clearance headers. The midfield quartet played with more confidence and only the final pass was lacking.

The school XI were reduced to 10 through injury (none inflicted by any OBs I hasten to add) with 10 minutes to go, but referee Bill Voice compensated admirably. With only a few minutes left and an equaliser looking certain, the school broke away. By now ex-DHB Briscoe was redder in the face than on a 1990 post-A-Level jaunt to Benidorm, and the lone centre forward evaded his lunge, miraculously took the ball around the diving keeper, and finished from a tight angle to end the contest.

In the changing room the conclusion was that a 2-2 draw would have been a fairer reflection of the game, though we'd all have preferred a last-minute burgled victory. Still, the occasion was enjoyed unanimously, and the older leavers were impressed with the new sports facilities and dining hall, and the post-match spread. I have memories of Mr Bendall not allowing us the marshmallow-centred chocolate-coated treats if we lost, so pasta and an unlimited supply of jam doughnuts did much to take the edge off the defeat. That, and knowing that there's always next year.