There are a number of OHAFC players who will be making their Arthur Dunn Cup debuts on Saturday when the squad travels north up the M1 to face the considerable challenge of playing the Old Reptonians at the school.

With 1st XI skipper Ed Poulter still absent, Fred Richardson continues captaincy duties and has again been faced with a difficult week as he has enlisted the help of both Jack Orr-Ewing and Azhar Khan to ensure several regular 2's and 3's players will be made available, including Orr-Ewing himself.

2nd XI full-back Jack Robinson played for the 1st XI on the opening day of the season but will be one of five players in the 13-man squad appearing in the competition for the first time. Jack Orr-Ewing, promoted to 2nd XI captain this season, played several times for the 1st XI last season but he too has yet to play in the senior Arthurian League cup competition.

Youngsters Alex Breeden and Charlie Walsh have claimed spots in the 1st XI squad this season and will get their chance to taste the unique atmosphere of the Cup, whilst Alex Gilbert gets a late call-up from the 3rd XI to add some pace and power to the attack.

It is unclear quite why 39 year-old Rupert Hoffen has been selected to travel, but several theories have been put forward:

• lucky talisman
• someone to befriend the referee prior to kick-off in order to earn favourable decisions
• someone to amuse the team on the long journey north
• his wife requested it
• there was simply no-one else
• a combination of all of the above

Nevertheless, despite the patched-up nature of the squad, the Blues will travel with plenty of confidence having lost only one of their opening five matches this season and that against a Lancing team who have a 100% record.

The memory of last year's calamitous 4-0 semi-final loss to first division Winchester should also act as motivation, as should the news that the winners of the tie will be away to Division Three Berkhamsted in Round Two.

The OHAFC Dunn Cup 1st Round squad to travel to Repton on Saturday:

Richardson (c), Breeden, Gilbert, Walsh, Lederman, Coleridge-Cole, Hoffen H, Hoffen R, Orr-Ewing J, Baker, Harder, Defty, Robinson