Sutton vs Hayward 5-a-side football match

Saturday 27th November 2021

Bishop’s Stortford College Sports Hall

The morning after the storm was met with real trepidation. Storm Arwen had left a trail of destruction, as several of our number set off early from as far as Northumberland, Wales and Devon, dodging blizzards and fallen trees on their way.  There was also trepidation from those not traveling so far, but the fear of creaking limbs was less to do with shattered trees, but that most of us hadn’t played football for decades, and really should have known better!

The Class of 88 enjoyed their footy.  Mainly jumpers for goalposts on Middle Green, but when the new Sports Hall was opened in 1987 (the first new school building for many years), we could at last play proper indoor 5-a-side.  Our year group initiated the first inter-house league.  The Roll of Honour shows that the Masters team won the inaugural league in ’88 with School House winning the cup.  However, it was the Sutton v Hayward games, the two day-boy houses at the time, that were always ‘a bit tasty’!

Fast forward 33 years and we gathered again, first for an excellent tour of the new facilities by Jennifer Law from the Stortfordian Foundation.  Plenty had changed, but there was much that was still very familiar, and the old stories soon started flowing.  We bumped into Mr Jones, the current Grimwade Housemaster, who was kind enough to give us an impromptu tour of the house.  This was particularly enjoyed by Fergus and Peter who were both former residents.

After the tour the real action started.  After a nervous warm up, Hayward raced into an early lead.  Sutton didn’t panic and had clawed their way back into the game by half time.  At last a breather, and great to have a chat with Mr Hudson, our sole spectator!  Into the second half and the fitness levels were tested.  Both sides exchanged goals, but it was Sutton who led 10-6 by the time the cry of ‘next goal wins’ went up.  This led to an extended period of renewed energy, end to end attacking and desperate defending, before Hayward’s Salah finally got the ‘golden goal’.

So, who won?  The team that scored the most goals, or the team who scored the golden goal?  This discussion went on over drinks and curry well into the night, before it was decided that to settle it, we would have to come back and do it all over again!

Sutton House

Fergus Trim (GH, SH, SuH, 81-88)
Peter Cleary (GH, RPH, SuH, 81-88)
David Shrimpton (MJH,SuH, 82-89)
Julian Knight (SuH, 84-89)
Lee Dainton (SuH, 86-88)

Hayward House

Richard Davies (MJH,HH, 79-88)
Andy Hope (MJH,HH,80-88)
Salah Alfulaij (MJH,HH, 80-88)
Alex Huff (MJH,HH, 80-87)
Jonathan Jenkins (MJH,HH, 81-88)
Paul Schofield (MJH,HH, 81-88)

Many thanks to Jennifer Law of the Stortfordian Foundation office for organising and hosting us on the day.

Article submitted by: Fergus Trim (GH, SH, SuH, 81-88)