Charterhouse continued their 100% start to the season, with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Eton on Saturday. In a match which could have gone either way, Charterhouse created more clear-cut chances, but were unable to convert them and eventually owed their victory to a penalty, which the Eton goalkeeper all but saved.
Charterhouse might have scored as early as the third minute, but a close-range header from Will Holder flew just over the bar. Quickly the game settled into a midfield battle and chances were few and far between. Then, in the thirtieth minute, the referee adjudged Will Holder to have been fouled in the area and Jamie Cameron converted the spot-kick to give Charterhouse the lead. Eton might have equalised five minutes later, when Jack Tetley in the Charterhouse goal misjudged the flight of a ball, but his defence was on hand to scramble it clear.
Charterhouse began the second half in spirited fashion and saw Eton clear an Ed Walford header off the line during a spell in which they created several half chances. Once again the game settled into a familiar rhythm with the ball spending a lot of time in the air and neither side being able to break down the other's defence. The only other real chance fell to Chris De Laiglesia, who was put through with five minutes to go but hit the post with the 'keeper beaten.
The game was marred by an injury to stalwart midfielder, Wayne Paes, who was felled in the 22nd minute and spent the rest of the match in hospital nursing a broken collar-bone. He will be out for some time and the side will miss his calming influence. Nevertheless, Charterhouse has now won its first six games of the season and approaches the second round match of the Boodles ISFA Cup against St Bede's with some confidence.
RPN