Old Bradfieldians v Old Tonbridgians

11am 5 September 2020

Arthur Dunn Cup, Semi Final

Old Bradfieldians 1 Old Tonbridgians 1 aet (att 20)

Arthur Dunn was a leading amateur footballer in the Victorian era, and after his premature death at 41 the cup that bears his name was created for teams made up of alumni of the country's leading private schools.

Amateur clubs, such as the old boys teams, were concerned that professionalism was eclipsing their game, and wanted their own cup to keep the amateur game alive. These days the Arthur Dunn cup is effectively the league cup of the Arthurian League, but the league didn't begin until the 1960s while the first cup final was in 1903.

And while clubs usually play their Arthurian League matches on hired pitches around London, most Arthur Dunn Cup ties are played at the schools.

So, 18 months after I watched Old Bradfieldians play a league match in Hampton, I got to see them at their alma mater, Bradfield College in Berkshire, in a cup game held over from the aborted 2019/20 season.

Finding the actual venue wasn't easy. Bradfield have various sports facilities, several with football pitches, dotted around the village. It was more luck than judgment when I arrived at what are called the New Pitches and found the teams warming up.

There are four pitches at New Pitches, all with immaculate surfaces. The tie was on pitch one, which has a small shelter near the far touchline.

Both goals were in the first half. Tonbridgians looked the better side early on and went ahead, but a free kick about 10 minutes before half time brought Bradfieldians level. The home side dominated possession from then on, but lacked a cutting edge, while their visitors occasionally threatened on the break.

Extra time, which for some reason was just 10 minutes each way, failed to provide a winner, and so a replay is required. Unusual not to have penalties to decide a drawn cup tie these days, but it seems in keeping with such a traditional competition.

Indeed the other semi final, between Old Carthusians and Old Reptonians, is due to be replayed later this month. The sides played out a goalless draw back in March, just before football was suspended due to Covid. Has any cup tie had to wait more than six months between the first game and the replay?