12 midday 16 October 2021
Independent Schools FA Cup, Third Round
Royal Russell School 1 Brooke House College 3 (att 25)
My second game in this competition in less than a week. Ties on Saturdays are unusual, and usually the result of earlier postponements, but this noon start allowed me to get to two games in the day.
My plan might have been scuppered had this gone to extra time though, and I was getting nervous as the referee added an unlikely 10 minutes of stoppage time as Royal Russell pressed for an equaliser.
I was relieved when Brooke House, who'd come from behind, broke forward to score a decisive third goal. It ended what had been a very entertaining, and high quality, game.
Royal Russell started well and took an early lead. They had chances to increase their advantage but failed to take them. Brooke House grew into the game and finished the first half strongly.
They continued to be on top into the second half, and deservedly turned a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 lead.
Brooke House, a college in Leicestershire, runs a football academy. The students must have had lessons in game management, as having gone ahead they protected their lead professionally.
The referee felt they too often crossed a line into time wasting, hence the hefty amount of added time, but they saw out the tie to move into the last 16.
Royal Russell School is in Croydon, with excellent sports facilities within the school grounds. The main pitch has a barrier and dugouts on one side, some Royal Russell advertising boards around the perimeter and a pavilion at the far end.
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