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The 1st XI go into the Christmas break in the top half of the table thanks to a fine recovery following a fairly ignominious start to the season. Four of the first six games ended in defeat, including a 2-3 Arthur Dunn Cup first round loss at Eton, which left the OKs languishing in the relegation zone of the Arthurian League Premier Division. However, a six-game unbeaten run has seen the side climb the table steadily and progress to the last-16 of the AFA Senior Cup for only the second time in our history. Wins against Old Tonbridgians and Old Chigwellians (both 2-0) were coupled with hard-earned draws against Old Carthusians and in the return fixture against Tonbridge while progress in the cup was secured with a 2-1 victory over Old Bromleians and a 5-1 dismantling of UCL Academicals.

The side has been led for the second year running by Alex Angel (OK 2010) and he has been ably assisted by the senior player group of Ben Harries (2008), Oly Hewitt (2011), Jack Stevenson (2011) and Nick Perry (2003). Perry is far from being the only “veteran” in the side as Andy Tyler (2001) has has a fine season in goal and Jonny Corbett (2002) has embarked on a record-equalling 11th consecutive season in the 1st XI. Centre-back George Dunne (2013) and forward Barney Oates (2011) have come into the squad this season to prove that there is a bright future for the club.

The 2nd XI also find themselves with 12 points from nine games and looking up the Division 2 table rather than down. Solid victories against Old Harrovians II (2-1), Old Lancing II (3-1) and Old Carthusians III (2-0) were interspersed with losses against Old Carthusians II (twice), Old Alleynians (1-3), Old Etonians II (1-3) and regrettable last minute defeat in the return fixture vs Harrovians (1-2). The OKs saved their best until last, though, when they faced an Eton side who had only lost once all season, including a 3-1 victory against us in September, and ran out 3-0 winners following an inspired performance.

Ramon Selvakumaran (2007) is in his fifth year as 2nd XI captain and is ably supported by vice-captians Charlie Westcott and Maz Tappuni (both 2005). There is a blend of youth and experience across the rest of the squad with regular players ranging from 2002 leavers through to 2013 leavers.

The 3rd XI mid-season report reads “room for improvement” as they find themselves at the foot of Division 5 South. An unkind fixture list left the side with a run of very tricky games at the beginning of the season while some inconsistency in availability has meant some regular chopping and changing of personnel.

However, a much kinder post-Christmas fixture card and a new leadership team headed up by young captain Rory Desmond (2011) means that the side enter the New Year full of hope.

One notable development at the club this season has been, thanks to the ever-strengthening relationship with The School, the introduction of a number of school 1st XI players to the club. This has proved a real success with eight Upper Sixth boys representing the Old Boys throughout the Autumn Term with the most notable being Matt Burditt, who won the man of the match vote for all three XIs during his first five games for the club.

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The winter months are a time of the year when most crews are grinding out the miles on the ergo and establishing a strong base of strength and conditioning on which to build for the summer. Whilst that may be the case for the current KCS 1st 8+, who recently excelled against the best junior crews in the world at the Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston, the 1884 Boat Club are not ‘most crews’.

At KCSBC’s 2017 Festive Races, the Old King’s Club (1884 BC) crew took to the water in the aptly named “King’s Gift” with one thing in mind: setting the record straight after the controversial dead heat verdict of last year’s race. The conditions: an overcast tideway afternoon with just a hint of a tailwind breathing down the course. Perfect conditions then, for stroke man Charlie Buchanan to lead the boys out onto a punchy rate 42 rhythm, which he did with characteristic elan. This was reinforced by some familiar faces in the bow 7 of the boat. Once again, however, the old boys fell victim to underhand tactics from the youngsters, conceding a half length lead before the race had even begun. Cox Hugo Forshaw showed great composure, as his crew overhauled the deficit in the first three quarters of the race and in the final dash to the line it was all to play for. The big effort from 1884 was starting to show and the school boys began inching back.

The official verdict: too close to call in yet another race that will be remembered as much for the controversy surrounding it as the rowing.

Bow: Jack Elkington (OK 2012)
2: Fraser Harris (OK 2011)
3: Alex Nelson (OK 2013)
4: Alex Robey (OK 2013)
5: Nick Elkington (OK 2016)
6: Alex Duncomb (OK 2013)
7: Ollie Hines (OK 2013)
Stroke: Charlie Buchanan (OK 2014)
Cox: Hugo Forshaw (OK 2013)

Lord and Lady McColl of the King’s College Alumni Association hosted the Old King’s Club annual dinner in the Cholmondeley Room and Terrace at the House of Lords. Lord McColl welcomed the members of the club, Paste President Robin Reeve spoke about his long career and colourful characters he had encountered at the school, the Chairman Alexander Malmaeus thanked Lord and Lady McColl and proposed the toast to King’s College School and Andrew Halls proposed the toast the Old King’s Club. SEE FACEBOOK

The Old King’s Club won its annual friendly golf match on 19 September by 3 1/2 to 1 1/2 on a cool but sunny day, with the greens and fairways looking as ever in excellent condition at Royal Wimbledon GC. This means the OKC has won this match every year since the fixture was inaugurated and our name appears on the Claret jug for every year since 2013, when the trophy was first presented.

Individual results were as follows:

Peter Taylor and Giles Fallowfield v Richard Major and Adrian Koertzen – Won by 1 hole
– after 14 holes we were 3 down, but an excellent last four holes by Giles saw us nick the result on the 18th.

Ian Hay and Lance Condon v Andrew Lodge and Richard Wickerson – Won 4 and 3.

Jonathan Howitt and Jonathan Poole v Gordon House and AN Other – Lost 4 and 3.

Andrew Copeman and Peter Messent v Paul Healey and John Elvidge – Halved.

Fred Grover and Will Starrit v Roy Bray and Graham Cox (KGS, not KCS!) – Won 2 and 1.

Captain Richard Major duly presented us with the trophy, and Peter Taylor will engrave it for next year. We also invited OKs to be our guests at a similar time in 2018.

A moment’s silence was held for for Roy Haslehurst, the previous Old Kingstonians captain, who sadly died from a heart attack last week.

A close fought match, with all of the matches going to the 18^th hole, between KCS Old Boys and Old Cranleighan golfers resulted in a win for KCS Old Boys by 2 and half matches to one and half. The match was four ball better ball format, the OKC winning pairs were Giles Fallowfield and David Cross, Scott Lloyd and Jonathan Poole. This annual match was played on Wednesday 26^th August at the Royal Wimbledon Golf Club with excellent sandwiches to follow. The next match is on Thursday 24^th August against Old Tiffinians. Chris Diacon chris@diacon.co.uk would be pleased to hear from former pupils who would like to play in future matches.

This year’s competition was played at Bramley Golf Club and for the first time it had a Shot-gun start, which worked very well indeed. There were 60 players playing in 20 three balls so there were two groups at each of the two par five holes. One group started five minutes before the Klaxon (Shot Gun) so that they had played their second shots as the Klaxon sounded and the other group could drive off without delay. At no time during the round did we have to wait for the group in front of us nor did the group behind us have to wait for us.

For several of our team, this was the first time that we had played at this course, which was our excuse for not scoring terribly well. We could not actually blame the course because it was in fine condition with excellent greens, good lies on the fairways but quite a lot of bunkers, which was, in part, my personal downfall.

At the end of the round there were naturally a lot of golfers heading for the clubhouse and changing rooms. As luck would have it we were fairly close by and quickly dived into the showers then got out of the way for the others. On arrival in the bar we were greeted with the news that the first drink was already paid for by one of the organising team, who is a member at the club, and there was wine already on each table. Thank you very much indeed.

The winning team were the Old Reedonians, who were making their first appearance at the competition, and scored 165 points from their best five players. This is of course equivalent to 33 points from each, which is a very good and consistent score. The runners up were the Old Hinchleyans just one point behind on 164. Our best score was David Cross with 32points, Philip Gregory got 31 points and Micky King came in with 29. The rest of us, Jonathan Howitt, Richard Burgess and myself, all managed a disappointing 26 points and Neil Lovett had a game to forget.

Graham Cox