Orpington Athletic 0 vs 1 Green Street Green First

Orpington Athletic returned home this weekend, for the first time since the death of their player and friend, Anthony Knott, was announced.

A raft of support, tributes on and off the pitch and a tremendously well respected moment of silence and reflection by players, officials, friends and family, brought the emotion of the last month to the fore. Orpington were somber in their mood and the stoic, silent approach to the first half was evident.

Despite a level of control and composure from the visibly affected players, Green St Green took the lead with a fortunate free kick which deceived the back line and the tremendous Matt Utton in goal.

With the ever present thought of their departed bother, Orpington lacked a killer instinct, despite controlling large parts of the game. And, in the instances when GSG may have further advanced their lead, Utton was an impenetrable wall between the sticks. In the few remaining minutes, he capped a man of the match performance with a fantastic penalty save to once again deny and frustrate the opposition.

Orpington bowed out of the cup to the slenderest of margins and perhaps were missing the 90th minute headed goal that Anthony memorably delivered in the cup a few seasons ago.

Exhausted, emotional and eliminated, Orpington will hold their heads high, knowing they honoured their stalwart right-back simply by playing for him. With no cup competitions now to concern themselves with, Orpington will throw all they have at the league as they seek to gain promotion to Division 2 and perhaps, bring home the Division 3 title in May.

Anthony, our brother, our friend; rest in peace.