Boodles ISFA Cup Final, Stadium MK, 10 March 2011 Eton 0 Charterhouse 2
The Association returned empty-handed from the much anticipated final date with old adversaries Charterhouse but came away from the game with a huge amount of credit and weren’t far away from clinching their first national school title. Premier League and Champions League referee Martin Atkinson took charge of the match in which Eton had the better of the first half, with Henri Ashe Taylor coming closest to scoring from a free-kick 30 yards out which Oli Plummer turned over the bar 5 minutes before half-time. Charterhouse improved in the second half and a shot from Jack Ryder-Smith was cleared off the line by Jo Morris but only went as far as Nick Orr whose fine cross from the right found Harry Lineker ghosting in to give Charterhouse the lead with a header. Eton’s best chance came when substitute James Cardona threw himself at Tom Spooner’s cross but his header went narrowly wide. One minute later, at the other end, a cross from the right was headed out by the Eton defence but only out to Ryder-Smith who lashed home a volley to clinch the victory. The Eton team were magnificent and a real credit to themselves and their school in this the first cup final appearance by Eton in the blue-riband independent schools competition.
Andy Jennings Master ic Football and Association Head Coach
(partially taken from the ISFA website –www.isfa.org.uk )
