Match Report: Old Suttonians vs Old Tiffinians 3s

Old Tiffinians 3s traveled to Old Suttonians this week, looking to kick-start a strong league run. Despite all other Tiffs fixtures being called off due to the weather—and with the pitch resembling more mud than grass—the game went ahead.

Lining up in an ambitious 3-5-2 formation, a bold decision by stand-in skipper Al Doe, Tiffs started brightly, creating a number of attacking opportunities. The experienced back three of Dan Hogg, Al Cunningham, and Dicky provided a solid foundation, with the marginally younger George sweeping up anything that got through.

Up front, Louis proved a constant menace, while the Austen brothers were lively down both wings. Late in the first half, Dylan beat his man in the box only to be taken down, but the referee inexplicably waved play on, awarding a goal kick instead of a clear penalty—though some suggested during post-match fines that it had shades of a Tom Daley diving routine.

Tiffs continued to push forward and were finally rewarded from a corner. A dangerous delivery from Jason saw the opposition keeper flap at the ball, punching it into the air. TWC seized the moment, bulldozing his way through the crowd to power a header home. 1-0 Tiffs.

However, in true Tiffs fashion, the lead didn’t last long. Old Suttonians responded immediately, scoring just before half-time to make it 1-1 going into the break.

A rousing, motivational half-time speech from Al Doe had the squad fired up for the second half—rumors swirled that some players were moved to tears. The game plan was clear: stay solid at the back while maintaining attacking intent down the wings.

46th minute: 2-1 Old Suttonians.

The next 10-15 minutes remained tight, with Dylan once again brought down in the box—this time an even more blatant foul. Once again, the referee refused to give the penalty, opting instead for a corner. No accusations of diving were made during fines this time.

Then came a disastrous spell. Tiffs’ experimental approach to zonal marking—choosing only to mark spaces where no opponents were present—backfired spectacularly. Old Suttonians capitalised, scoring four goals from set pieces in the second half.

Despite late chances for Louis and Joe—including a header off the woodwork—Tiffs couldn’t find another goal. The final whistle blew with the scoreline reading 6-1 to Old Suttonians—a harsh and misleading reflection of a competitive match.

POTM: George (GK), who put in a strong goalkeeping display despite the scoreline. Unfortunately, he was unable to celebrate with a drink in his POTM tankard, as he is not of legal age.