“You are always being asked to do more, and you are not yet decrepit enough to
turn them down”
(T.S.Eliot, circa 1950)
The Arthur Dunn Cup first round is always a highlight on any Old Malvernians’ season fixture list, and this year Old Haileyburians provided the opposition for a club who has won this competition on eight occasions. However, Malvern’s last Dunn trophy came some 23 years ago in 1989, and recent years have provided more misery than success.
Good availability meant the team travelled to Cobham in high spirits, although this was tempered somewhat when news reached management that Leon Kirchhoff had failed to realise the Jubilee Line was down, meaning the midfielder was forced to get a taxi from Waterloo to the ground. More rookie error than German efficiency from ‘Der Kaiser’.
Despite this confusion, Malvern began brightly, and it was Kirchhoff who put the home side in front, atoning for his tardiness by powering a header into the roof of the net after Peter Ford flicked on a Will Murtagh corner at the near post. Despite conceding an early goal, Haileybury, who hadn’t won an Arthurian League fixture since opening day, grew in confidence, and equalised midway through the first half. A break down the right hand side resulted in Rory Hepburn’s close range, deflected shot wrong-footing Daniel Madden to level the scores.
Team spirit has long been a strength of the OM’s, and it was in evidence again here as Malvern’s response to this setback was almost immediate. Murtagh turned away in disgust as he centred from the right hand side, but he need not have worried as his deep cross was met by the head (yes, head) of Alex Richardson at the far post. The bandanna’d locks that currently adorn the man celebrating his 35th birthday the following day, helped him loop a header back over the goalkeeper to put his side back in front. Age is proving no barrier to Richardson, who netted for the second time in two games, perhaps inspired by the above T.S. Eliot quote. He was to ‘do more’ later in the game.
Malvern’s half-time 2-1 lead could and probably should have been more comfortable, but man-of-the-moment, Charlie Gifford, was unusually wasteful in front of goal. The standout player of the season so far can be excused an off day, never recovering from slashing wide when put through by Richardson. Ford should also have scored when released by a pinpoint drop kick from keeper Madden, but his low, left-footed shot was parried to safety by Madden’s opposite number.
Perhaps boosted by only being one goal down, the Old Haileyburians began to grow in confidence, and equalised shortly after the interval. Malvern had struggled to deal with set-pieces all afternoon, and it was no surprise that one led to the second equaliser. A long free kick was played into the back post, the otherwise excellent Josh Hughes misjudged his header, and OH’s tall centre-back (referred to as ‘Ging’ by our favourite ref) volleyed onto the crossbar before the rebound was tapped home by their centre forward.
At 2-2 it was anybody’s game, and once again Malvern’s reply was almost instant. Spurred on by a record crowd including teaching greats Sid Hill and Ian Quickfall, as well as OMFC legend Eddie Gilbert and family, they took the lead for a third time with around 20 minutes to go. Will Gifford, who was at the heart of almost every dangerous attacking move, broke down the right before releasing Ford in the inside right channel. His cross was met by none other than the birthday boy, and Richardson calmly slotted into the bottom right hand corner of the net. It might have been a hatrick as earlier the same player had missed a glorious chance to score after more good work from Gifford senior.
Ford, who had hit the crossbar with a free-kick moments before the third goal (I believe the video is circulating the Twitter verse @OMFC_Official), was replaced for the final quarter of the game by Tom James, who gave a typically energetic performance. Indeed James might have sealed the win with just minutes remaining, as Richardson’s cross found him in space at the far post with the goal at his mercy. An air shot followed, but Malvern, aided by fresh legs in the shape of James Bath and Tom Chappell, managed to hang on, giving Ed Ford victory in his first Dunn game as captain. They even survived a ‘red mist’ moment from Jake Robbins, a stray elbow sending the normally calm TM incandescent with rage.
The 3-2 win was celebrated in traditional OM fashion, with the Alma, Hollywood Arms and Embargos no doubt hastily restocking their Sambuca, Jaeger and Champagne shelves this morning. Frank Lampard’s Alma Mater, Brentwood, are next up for the Old Malvernians in round two of the Dunn, but with confidence coursing through the club, no side will be taking a trip to the Malvern hills lightly.
