Just before half term, our football team took part in the Newport Schools’ Football Tournament. We also competed in the same tournament last year and were very successful, reaching the finals out of 20 schools. The current team were aware of last year’s success and were desperate to give it their all. The team consisted of 8 talented and dedicated players; Ryan, Jayden, Isaac, Sonny, Gabriel, Luke, Riley and Adam.
For the first game, the team were up against the strong and talented George Street Primary School. With the teams only 6 aside, all players contributed a great deal and supported each other throughout the match. Both teams had their chances, with the ball narrowly missing the goals several times. It was fantastic to have last year’s Y4 pupils (now current Y5s) with us, who brought a new dynamic to the team. One particular player who stood out in the first match was Luke, who volunteered to play in goals; he did an excellent job! After an enthralling 20 minutes, the match finished 0-0.
The team started their second match determined to get a win and full of enthusiasm. The pressure and persistence to retain the ball soon paid off with a fantastic goal from Jaden. It was evident that the goal had given the team the confidence that they needed. Jaden went on to score another 3 goals along with Sonny scoring what was described as ‘The goal of the tournament’ by one of the organisers from Newport County. It truly was a superb free kick. These goals only seemed to help the team’s confidence and they went on to score another 4 well-worked and clinical goals. The match finished St Julian’s: 8 – St Andrews: 0.
Although the team had played so well in their previous matches, it was vital they won their next game to secure their place in the quarter finals of the tournament. The other teams in our pool had also played very well. Whoever won the next match would go through. The match started with both teams applying pressure and trying to keep possession of the ball. Again, Luke was tested regularly in goals but with his superb goal-keeping skills and our strong defence, we managed to keep the ball out. The match went on with Riley, Gabriel, Ryan, Isaac and Adam linking up well and creating excellent opportunities for our strikers. However, with only minutes left to play, Undy Primary School managed to score. The team tried their very best to equalise and didn’t stop working until the final whistle. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough. The match finished 1-0 to Undy Primary School.
This final result meant that sadly, our team didn’t qualify for the quarter finals. I am extremely pleased and proud of the team’s performance and we are working hard in training weekly to improve. They gave 100% to every match and should be proud of their performance.
If there is anyone who would like to attend Football Club after school, please see Mr Jones.
