The FA Inter-League Cup, now in its seventh edition, was introduced as The FA National League System Cup in 2003 to determine England’s representative in the prestigious UEFA Regions Cup.
Most of the competing leagues are at Step 7 but the Southern Amateur League, who play outside the system, actually lifted the cup in 2008.
The cup holders, however, are the Isle of Man League who edged the Hertfordshire County League 3-2 at The Bowl in May of last year.
A District line tube to Wimbledon, an overground train to Tolworth and a 10-minute walk on a warm afternoon took me to the ground on Saturday.
There was no admission charge but the SAL had produced a very nice colour programme which was also free.
I counted 21 spectators at the start, all but a couple sitting in the stand, and the ‘home’ side soon put the HPL, formed in 2007, under pressure with some surging forays down the flanks.
Dan Barber, the Nottsborough left-winger and no relation, was tripped inside the box for an early SAL spot-kick but the ball thudded against the keeper’s left-hand post after he had got a touch. Ryan Birch of NUFC Oilers did find the net, blasting home from a pinpoint Barber cross, but it was 1-1 at the break.
The HPL took the lead at 2-1. Then Andy Barrell, a prolific scorer for Winchmore Hill for many seasons, made a real difference after entering the action as a substitute midway through the second period.
He beat the HPL keeper with a sledgehammer of a left-footer for an equaliser and helped Old Owens’ Peter Eguae fire the SAL to a 3-2 victory in a match that got better and better as it went on.
The 16 First Round ties in the current competition are due to be completed by next Saturday.
‘The Barber’ went to two more matches on Sunday – LBS Alumni 6-2 Tristars in The London Accountants League and Leyton Orient 2-0 Stevenage in The SSE Women’s FA Cup – to take him up to a lifetime total of 6,906
