10.30am 13 December 2025
Arthur Dunn Cup, Second Round
Old Foresters 1 Old Reptonians 2 aet (att 42)
Walthamstow-based Forest School had an important role in the creation of association football and is, at least according to Wikipedia, the only school team to have played in the FA Cup.
They took part in the 1870s, and twice competed alongside the school's old boys team, Old Foresters. Like many public school alumni clubs from that era, Old Foresters these days compete in the Arthurian League and the Arthur Dunn Cup.
Fixtures in the latter are usually played at the school grounds, and as Foresters play league matches elsewhere this was a rare chance to see a senior game at The Park, Forest School's playing field.
It meant an early start to reach north east London in time for a morning kick off, and to secure one of the few parking places and then navigate a lengthy and muddy walk to the pitch.
With Foresters top of the Arthurian League's second tier, and Reptonians in the lower half of the league above, I expected a close game. The home side were ahead early on, thanks to a comical own goal.
Reptonians' attempts to play out from the back included an angled pass back to the keeper, who allowed the ball to run under his foot. He chased back but could only retrieve it once it had already crossed the line.
Despite that setback it was the away side who were mostly on top, although there were few clear chances at either end. Reptonians' equaliser was a penalty with about 18 minutes left.
Neither team could find the net again before the end, so we had extra time. The away side's winning goal, which over the 120 minutes they deserved, came in the opening minute of the second period.
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