Saturday 18th November 2017 @ Four Dwellings Academy, Quinton
West Midlands County Schools FA League
Harborne 0 – 1 Erdington and Saltley
Team: Tyrese, James, Louie, Rhys, Callam, Toby, Daniel, Tavani, Cian L, Jeval, Alfie and Ethan
Goal: Toby
Man of the Macth: It’s a tricky one as the whole team were a credit to us all and truly brilliant! Louie was a rock in defence alongside James and Tyrese, but it’s Daniel who pips them to it with a display of strength, aggression and skill at the heart of our midfield.
What a game! What a performance! What an achievement! We might have rode our luck at times today, but with a team containing eight u10s and one u9s, it was the least that we deserved.
The opening twenty minutes of the game were played at 150 mph, with neither team seeing the benefit of slowing things down and retaining possession. The frantic start meant both sides attacked in numbers at every opportunity, throwing caution to the wind and the kitchen sink at each other. Yet somehow the score remained 0-0.
At this stage in proceedings, everyone knew that if both teams continued to play at such an energetic pace, it would only be a matter of time before the deadlock was broken.
During the opening stages of the middle third, Daniel burst forward from centre midfield before curling the sweetest of efforts towards the top right hand corner of the Harborne goal. With the crowd poised and ready to burst into celebration, Daniel was forced to watch in disbelief as his effort thundered off the woodwork. In terms of shots off the goal frame, it was now 1-1, even if neither keeper had picked the ball from their respective net.
Shortly after the midpoint of the game, Callam weaved his way into the Harborne box before unleashing a sweetly struck shot, only to see the Harborne shot stopper palm it wide for a corner. It was from the resulting corner that The Ton scored their first goal in three weeks, as Toby rose at the back post to head home from Callam’s beauty of a cross.
Further chances were squandered by both teams during the final third of the game. On another day there would have been more goals than the single one scored but that shouldn’t take away from the fact that this was an excellent game. Harborne played with confidence and passed the ball incredibly well, while The Ton boys made light work of the fact that they were a year (or two) younger than their Harborne peers.
Overall it was a great advert for schools’ football and a highly enjoyable afternoon for all in attendance.
From a personal point of view, we could not be prouder of our young men.
Well done lads!
Up The Ton!
Erdington and Saltley Primary Schools' FA 