Saturday 10th October 2020 @ Vale Stadium, Castle Vale

Arden Forest u11s 2 – 7 Erdington and Saltley A

Team: Jack, Rion, Cairo, Yaw, Rhys, Dylan, Younussa, Kyle, Michael and Omari

Goals: Omari x 2, Dylan x 2, Younussa x 2 and Kyle

Man of the Match: Omari – a brace and an assist from the wing wizard

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For the second week in succession, the A team scored seven goals and produced some lovely football.

The game started with the boys bursting out of the bocks to race into a two goal lead within a minute of the kick off. A goal from Dylan straight from kick off settled the boys and another from Younussa 30 seconds later left Arden with a mountain to climb.

To their enormous credit, at no point did the Arden boys surrender, despite the huge challenge posed by the score line. As they did last week against the B Team, the Arden boys left everything on the pitch and should be very proud of their efforts.

After the opening half, the boys found themselves leading 5-1 thanks braces from Dylan and Younussa, as well as a fifth from Omari. Dylan’s second goal was a tap in at the far posted following a mazy run down the right from Omari. The wing wizard is in a rich vein of form at the moment and has struck up a superb relationship with Rhys that is yielding goal scoring opportunities each match.

With no natural striker in the squad, the midfield bombed forward at every opportunity and notched up all seven of the goals. At the back, captain Rhys supported his backline unit brilliantly, all of whom (Rion, Jack and Cairo) are under 10s. In the heart of defence, Rion was composed throughout the game and started a number of attacking moves by stepping out with the ball and looking to push up into midfield.

On another day the boys might have grabbed themselves another few goals, but as it was, they should be incredibly proud of their morning’s work!

Well done boys!

Up The Ton!

Saturday 10th October 2020 @ Vale Stadium, Castle Vale

Birmingham Primary Schools’ FA League

Aston 0 – 6 Erdington and Saltley B

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Jayden, Leeson, Shaun, Sean, Shane, Mathaar, Tobi, Isiah, Kian and Daniel

Goals: Matharr x 3. Shaun, Shane and Kian

Man of the Match: Mathaar – a hat trick in an under 11s game as an under 10!

A clean sheet and three goals either side of half-time gave the under 11s B team three points in their opening league encounter of the season. It also provided further indication that we were right to form two under 11s sides this season, such is the pool of talent that we are fortunate to have.

Arguably the player of the morning was Mathaar who found his shooting boots to bag himself a hat trick thanks to his marauding runs down the left-hand side of the pitch. The Thornton schemer should be incredibly proud after bagging his maiden treble for The Ton and in doing so, becoming the first pupil from his school to get his name of the scoresheet for the district.

Throughout the game, the boys worked tirelessly to restrict Aston to a limited number of chances and dedicated equal energy to protecting their clean sheet as they did attacking the Aston goal. With Tobi reinstalled into the backline following his absence from the Arden fixture last week, it was once again Leeson who led from the front and defended gallantly throughout.

As an attacking unit, the boys caused problems down the flanks as well as via the guile of Shaun and Shane in the centre of the park. The latter played a number of sumptuous through balls for Kian in attack, including a beautiful first-time ball midway through the second half.

Overall it was a performance to fill the boys with confidence and one that proves they’re on the right path as they embark on what promises to be an exciting season.

Well done boys!

Up The Ton!

Saturday 3rd October 2020 @ Vale Stadium, Castle Vale

BPSFA/WMCSFA Under 11s’ District League

Aston 0 – 7 Erdington and Saltley A

Team: Jack, Reo, Myiano, Rhys, Lennon, Dylan, Kyle, Omari, Uzi, Keon and Younussa

Goals: Lennon x 2, Dylan x 2, Rhys, Omari and Kyle

Man of the Match: Rhys – a menace in offence and a tyrant in defence!

Representative Game

Arden Forest 2 – 4 Erdington and Saltley B

Team: Jayden, Leeson, Shaun, Mathaar, Shane, Yaw, Mahliq, Daniel, Kian and Cairo

Goals: Daniel, Kian, Shaun and Shane

Man of the Match:

A half-volley from way outside the area. An unreal breakaway goal. A solid defensive performance. Growing confidence evident for all. Two birthdays. Two victories. What a morning!

The under 11s A team squared up against Aston in what turned out to be a full-blooded and exciting game. After racing into a three-goal lead in the opening ten minutes, the boys did not look back and opened their league campaign with three points.

On the adjacent pitch, the under 11s B team took on our friends Arden Forest, scoring four goals to claim the win after falling one-goal behind. The moment of the game coming from the boot of under 11 debutant Daniel who stepped up from the under 10s with a stunning long distance strike on his birthday!

After Dylan opened the scoring by stabbing home from three yards for the A team, Rhys stole the ‘moment of the half award’ with an excellent goal on the counter. Having repelled an Aston corner, Lennon carried the ball upfield before slotting in Rhys who’s burst down the right wing. The rapid full back headed straight for the box and blasted into the top corner from the edge of the area.

The second half saw another four goals scored and plenty of exciting action. A sweet Kyle strike from distance using the outside of his boot, a Lennon brace, on top of Omari scoring the the fourth successive game, saw the boys wrap up the game.

While the boys were excellent in attack, they were equally impressive when defending. Across the pitch, in all positions, the boys protected their clean sheet like their life depended on it. A superb save from Jack, tipping onto the roof of the net, was sandwiched between a number of excellent pieces of defending from the back three of Reo, Myiano and Rhys. With Keon covering every blade of artificial grass in midfield, Aston’s undeniable effort and commitment was repelled.

Including our pre-season games, yesterday was definitely our best team performance of 2020/21 and an indication of the exciting times that lie ahead!

In their first 9-a-side game as a team, the under 11s B team controlled the early exchanges against Shard End’s Arden Forest, only to see the boys in blue take the lead. Not to be deflated, the boys reasserted themselves and equalised moments after striking the woodwork.

However, Arden refused to lie down throughout the match and pulled themselves back into the encounter at 3-1 and 4-2.

Despite Arden’s endeavor, the Ton boys ploughed forward at every opportunity and should be incredibly proud of their first outing as a team, not least Leeson who was superb at the heart of the defence.

What a morning!

Well done boys!

Up The Ton!

Amari Miller will go down as a Ton legend. As part of the supremely talented 2013/14 squad, he helped put Erdington and Saltley firmly back on the map following years of inactivity. In his 24 appearances for The Ton, the then St. Mary and John wing-wizard scored 28 goals and picked up 4 man-of-the-match awards in his 24 appearances. Amari was a key part of the team that lifted two trophies and finished as runners-up in another four and was picked to represent Birmingham Primary Schools’ FA against Leeds Schools’ FA in November 2013.

Fast forward six years since Amari’s last Ton appearance and the second year scholar made the first of what we hope will be many appearances for the first team of Birmingham City FC when he squared up against Lee Bowyer’s Charlton Athletic FC during a pre-season friendly on Saturday 22nd August 2020.

Everyone at The Ton is brimming with pride and we know that this is just the start for the hard-working, talented Mr Miller.

Well done Amari!

Up The Ton!