Old Bradfieldians 4 - 0 Old Shiburnians ( Ist Round Arthur Dunne cup)
A great week for the club started on a soaked Rectory 1, where Old Shirburnians were the opponents in a 1^st Round Arthur Dunne cup match-up. Bradfield started quickly off the back of a good win the previous week, J Cox and J Shields looking particularly sharp cutting in off the flanks. A few early chances were snatched at but with Bradfield dominating the ball and Sherborne going long the pattern for the game was set. It was the previously mentioned combo that got the breakthrough midway through the first half with a great run and pass from the electric Cox feeding the experienced head of Shields to slot home the first. That partnership proved to be Old Shirburnians’ undoing once again towards the end of the half as a cross from Shields bounced around in the box before being smashed home by Cox.
The rain continued to pour into the 2^nd half but Bradfield continued to play the ball around, the midfield 3 of P Oldham, T Martin and N Watts bouncing passes around the slick, immaculate surface.
Old Shirburnians did provide some threat via long balls and set pieces, but this was expertly marshalled by the newly discovered centre back partnership of H Martin and M Covers. The third goal did provide some controversy as Cox slipped the ball through to N Watts who dinked the keeper only for D Hodgkinson to tap the ball in on the line, after much post-match deliberation the goal was eventually awarded to Watts. The victory was wrapped up with a well worked goal, N Watts and P Oldham linking up with a quick 1-2 on the edge of the box before Watts fired home rounding off the scoring. A very solid 4-0 victory in the first game of our cup run with a second-round fixture vs fellow Premier Division rivals Old Foresters to come.

Old Bradfieldians 2 - 1 Old Etonians
Spirts were high in the camp going into the second game of the week, a Friday night fixture against the Old Etonians. They had the opportunity to go second from top with a win, so it was always going to be a hard-fought game under the lights. The game was scrappy from the off with both teams pressing each other high, giving neither team a chance to settle into any rhythm. Some trademark crunching tackles from J Peet setting the tone. Old Bradfieldians opened the scoring in a slightly fortunate manner with a cross from T Joslin finding its way in at the back post. After that Old Bradfieldians settled into the game and started keeping the ball better and some great pressing from J Foord almost resulted in another goal but going into half time the goal was the still the only effort on target for either team.
It was hard for both teams to keep up the intensity of the first half and going into the second the game began to become more stretched. Some great pressing from the Old Bradfieldian midfield resulted in a four on three counterattack and when the Captain T Martin slipped the ball onto W Louis left foot there was only ever one outcome. Once the second went in the game really did open up with Old Etonians knowing they had to go all out for the goal, they began to pepper the defence with long balls which were for the second game running dealt with well by H Martin and M Covers. Old Bradfieldians almost nicked a couple of goals on the counter but eventually the added pressure told, Old Etonians scoring with a speculative effort from distance leaving a nervy last 10 mins to hold out. The aerial bombardment from Old Etonians began and what was previously seen as a weakness for the Old Bradfieldians would now be tested. Long throws and corners were raining in but the defence stayed strong and A Lees in goal commanded his area brilliantly. In the end Old Bradfieldian’s manged to hold on to a cracking 2-1 victory showing real character throughout. All in all two very different tests but two morale boosting wins which sets the team up nicely for Chigwell away in the league next week.
 
Match report supplied by Myles Watts.