Saturday 11th January 2020 @ Vale Stadium, Castle Vale

Birmingham Primary Schools’ FA – Under 10s Daniel Sturridge Cup

A Team: Jack, Yaw, Younussa, Cairo, Lennon, Dylan and Keon

B Team: Shaun, Rhys, Omari, Uzi, Shane and Kian

C Team: Remi, Jack, Daniel, Tobi, Marshall and Shae

Goals: Daniel, Younussa, Shane, Dylan, Keon x 2, Lennon x 3, Omari x 3 and Shaun.

A week on from missing out on the BPSFA Futsal title in agonising fashion, the under 10s experienced similar disappointment as they missed out out on the u10s Daniel Sturridge cup by a matter of seconds.

With three teams in action and 20 boys representing The Ton with distinction, it was another week to be proud of our great district.

As always, the C team gave it 110% as they played against teams a year older than them. Despite falling to defeat in all of their games, they showed huge heart and determination to rattle a number of teams as well as the woodwork on a number of occasions. Their solitary goal was a thing of beauty as Daniel finished off a great team effort.

The B team started the morning with confidence high. They were in with a chance of winning in each of their games. Not once did they find themselves out of their depth and on another day they could have challenged at the top of the table. With Uzi’s tireless work rate replicated by his determined teammates, they picked up a couple of wins and suffered a couple of narrow defeats in their quest for the crown. A huge thank you goes to Shaun who deputised in goal and was magnificent.

While the C and B teams’ title tilt was over midway through the morning, the A team went into the final game knowing a victory would ensure the silverware was theirs. As it was, a 0-0 draw with South Birmingham meant their opponent lifted the cup.

However, in their penultimate game of the morning, a last second goal gave Sutton a share of the points at 1-1 and it was this goal that effectively cost them the trophy. Had fortune favoured us and had Sutton missed with the last kick of the game, we would have won the u10s Daniel Sturridge Cup on goal difference. As it was, the boys were left disappointed, although on reflection, they soon identified many positives from their mornings work. A special well done to the trio of Reo, Lennon and Keon who have played with the u11s for almost all of this season and pulled on the u10s jersey with distinction.

The A team, like the B and C, had no reason to feel sorry. They played superbly and did us all proud.

Well done boys!

Up The Ton!

Saturday 4th January 2020 @ Play Football Arena

Birmingham Primary Schools FA Futsal Championship

Under 10s: Jack, Andrius, Ebrima, Reo, Omari, Younussa, Yaw, Dylan, George, Cairo and Uzi

Goals: Ebrima x 3, George x 3, Reo x 2, Dylan x 2 and Andrius

Under 11s: Cory, Danny, Jahkadi, Kortney, Oscar, Kaiden, Chase, Hughey, Joshua, Kayden, Markie, Lennon, Jason, Keon and Ethan

Goals: Lennon x 9, Markie x 7, Kortney x 6, Jason x 3 and Keon x 3

Two futsal competitions. Two runners-up spots. Lots of huge positives to take from the opening day of 2020.

The under 10s went toe-to-toe with South Birmingham under 10s for much of the morning until an untimely injury in the pivotal game swung the tie in South’s favour with the scores evenly poised at 1-1. Throughout the morning, both teams showed all in attendance their undoubted talent. Yet while we came ever so close to claiming the title, it is hard to deny that the boys from the south of Brum deserved their second title in succession.

On the adjacent futsal pitches, three u11 teams gave it their all for The Ton.

With Kortney in great goal scoring form, ably supported by the tireless duo Jahkadi and Oscar, the C team made a great start to their morning with a pair of wins. Even more pleasing was the debut of u10 Kaiden who starred at the back and the masterful shot stopping demonstration of Cory.

The B team found it a little trickier to get going and didn’t fully get into their stride until late in the day. Although once they did, it was a thing of beauty!

The third and final under 10s side stormed through the league, scoring a number of classy goals, including a hat trick from midfield dynamo Lennon. With Keon and Jason excelling out wide, Ethan repelling everything that was thrown at him (four clean sheets from the opening four games) and Danny confident in goal, captain Markie was afforded the freedom to dictate play from up top.

Everything went according to plan until the final.

After a superb victory over South Birmingham in the semi-final, the boys squared up against a resurgent Aston side with both teams eyeing the first trophy of 2020.

Unfortunately for us, Aston took the lead within the first minute and from then on, we simply didn’t have luck on our side and found an Aston keeper in imperious form. As shots bounced off the woodwork, the Aston keeper pulled off several stunning saves to thwart us in our relentless attempt to level the game. Throw into the mix a superb acrobatic goal line clearance from Lennon and it’s easy to see why the huge crowd in attendance were on the edge of their seat.

Football is about fine margins. This simply wasn’t our day but there will be plenty more days that are ours in 2020.

Well done boys!

Up The Ton!

Saturday 21st December 2019 @ Vale Stadium, Castle Vale

Birmingham Primary Schools’ FA Under 10s Winter Cup

A Team: Jack, Rhys, Yaw, Younussa, Uzi, Omari, Andrius and Dylan

B Team: Shaun, Tobi, Joel, George, Kian, Kaiden, Mahliq and Shane

C Team: Remi, Jack, Daniel, Marshall, Shae, Isiah and Taio

With more under 10 teams than any other Brummie district, we brought the curtain down on another successful year for Erdington and Saltley with 24 boys representing The Ton.

Overall it was a great morning as the boys won more than they lost and played some superb football. All morning, they smiled and laughed, ensuring even the chilliest of December mornings was brightened up.

Even though they didn’t win the title (finishing 3rd, 4th and 7th), the boys filled us with plenty of optimism and excitement ahead of 2020, especially as 8 boys were missing on the day.

Goals were aplenty, although the best of the day arguably came from the boot of George, who struck a fierce long distance shot as the B team won their opening game 2-0. Talking of the B team, they started the final game of the morning with a chance of claiming second place. Up against Sutton Coldfield, they cruised into an early lead but were unable to hold on for the three points, with Sutton running our eventual 3-1 winners. Nevertheless, as stated above, it was a morning filled with immense pride and optimism.

Thank you boys for a great first half to the season and roll on 2020!

Well done boys!

Up The Ton!

Saturday 14th December 2019 @ Vale Stadium, Castle Vale

Birmingham Primary Schools’ FA Under 11s League

Erdington and Saltley 3-1 Sutton Coldfield

Team: Danny, Hughey, Josh, Ethan, Reo, Jahkadi, Oscar, Markie, Lennon, Jason, Ebrima, Kortney, Chase, Keon and Kayden

Goals: Lennon x 2 and Markie

Man of the Match: Lennon – midfield dynamo continues his rich vein of form!

2019 has been a great year for the boys of Erdington and Saltley. Some of the highlights include:

• 7 a side national final
• 9 a side national final (third overall)
• Birmingham Primary Schools’ FA League winners
• West Midlands County Schools’ FA Cup winners
• Birmingham Primary Schools’ FA Summer Cup under 10s winners
• Birmingham Primary Schools’ FA 7-a-side under 11s winners
• Birmingham Primary Schools’ FA 7-a-side under 10s winners
• West Midlands County Schools FA 7-a-side
• Markie – broke scoring record for boys
• Toby – broke appearance record for boys
• Reo and Ebrima signed for Birmingham City FC

Yet despite all of the above, the first half of this season is rivals all of these achievements. To go 15 games unbeaten at the start of a season is an incredible achievement. To win all 15 games is even more amazing. None of this would have been possible if it wasn’t for the great spirit that has developed over the past few months.

There have been games and times when we have had to dig deep and claw ourselves back into contention, yet we have managed to do so. There have been times when victory has seemed anything but possible, yet the boys have simply dug in and refused to give up. With a squad of 17 players, we have never started with the same squad two games in succession. This is testament to the depth and quality of the whole squad. The boys have been a credit to Erdington and Saltley and Saturday was no different.

With the league campaign now past the half-way mark, the boys knew the Sutton game represented a pivotal Birmingham Primary Schools’ FA 7-a-side under 10s winners moment in their quest to claim the 2019/20 title. Sutton Coldfield, as always, are a quality outfit. The boys knew they would have to bring their A game on Saturday.

With 15 minutes on the clock and following a formidable start from The Ton, Sutton struck first after converting a wind-swept corner past Danny. In previous seasons, this might have proved a blow from which we wouldn’t have recovered. This team is different though. They regrouped and equalised before the first break when Lennon slammed home from a Jason right wing cross.

At 1-1 and now playing with the wind in their favour, the boys extended their lead when Lennon once again slotted home from distance, this time from a Chase layoff. Had luck been on their side, they might have led by more after Jason stuck the post and Chase was a hair’s width from sliding in and connecting with a Jason cross.

Nevertheless, as the third and final period started, the boys were in the lead and determined to add more goals. Our final goal came from talisman Markie who continued his remarkable record of scoring every weekend of the season. With 68 goals to his name so far this campaign, our captain will be the first to admit that he would be nowhere near that figure if it wasn’t for the creativity of his peers. With Josh, Keon, Lennon and Jason creating chances aplenty for The Ton, it was only a matter of time before Markie capitalised.

Moments before his goal, Markie watched in dismay as his shot trickled wide of the keeper’s left hand post. Thankfully, a matter of seconds latter, he found the net when he smashed home from an Oscar pass.

More shots on goal were to come, especially as Sutton attacked us in great numbers and inevitably left gaps as they gallantly went in search of a share of the points. Alas, no further goals were forthcoming and this sensational game ended 3-1 to The Ton. although a huge amount of respect must go to Sutton who more than played their part in a great game.

At this point it would be fitting to mention each and every one of the 16 players, but I simply don’t have the space! From Ethan heading every areal raid to Danny making a smart starfish save at his near post with the scoreline poised at 2-1. The boys were sensational and a credit to us all.

As 2019 draws to a close, we are running out of superlatives for this group of boys. I think we better ask Santa for a thesaurus.

Well done boys!

Up The Ton!

Saturday 7th December 2019 @ Vale Stadium, Castle Vale

Birmingham Primary Schools’ FA Under 10s League

Erdington and Saltley A 2-1 Wolverhampton

Team: Jack, Yaw, Cairo, Younussa, Uzi, Omari and George

Goals: Uzi

Man of the Match: Omari – constant attacking threat

Representative Fixtures

Erdington and Saltley U11 6-0 Gloucester

Team: Danny, Reo, Ethan, Hughey, Markie, Lennon, Josh, Keon, Jason, Oscar, Jahkadi, Kortney and Chase

Goals: Markie x 4 and Chase x 2

Man of the Match: Lennon – controlled the game from the centre of the park

Erdington and Saltley U10 C 2-6 Erdington and Saltley U10 B

C Team: Remi, Sidney, Tobi, Daniel, Isiah, Shaun and Marshall

Goals: Daniel

Man of the Match: Daniel – creative spark

B Team: Olaf, Rhys, Shae, Kian, Jack, Kaiden and Mahliq

Goals: Kian x 3

Man of the Match

For what seemed like the first week in an eternity, there was no rain or frost to greet us at Vale Stadium as we prepared for another week of district football. The sun was almost out and the temperature was a lofty seven degrees. Tropical. Perfect weather for football.

On the pitch, the under 10s were in action, with the A team locking horns with Wolverhampton and the B and C teams crossing paths in another Erdington derby.

Both games were incredibly enjoyable.

The Erdington derby saw the B team control proceedings during the opening half, while the tables were truned during the second period when the C team played their best football of the season. Spearheaded by Kian, the B team romped into a 4-1 lead, only to see the C team claw their way back into the game thanks to some resolute defending from Toby and some creative wizardry from Daniel. Unfortunately for the C Team, their B team counterparts scored two late goals to give themselves some breathing space.

On the adjacent pitch, the A team started brightly against Wolverhampton, only to see their Black Country rivals have the better of the attempts on goal. Fortunately for the Ton, Jack was in inspired form between the posts and kept the score goalless with 15 minutes on the clock. At that stage, Uzi popped up to score and give the boys a one goal lead to take into the break. During the second period, Wolverhampton equalised, only for the Ton boys to retake the lead within a couple of minutes. Throughout the game, all of the boys shone, with Cairo and Omari joining Jack for high praise.

Just over an hour after the under 10s kicked off, the under 11s played Gloucester for the second time in three weeks. Following on from a 6-2 victory in Gloucester in November, the boys were determined to earn themselves their first clean sheet of the season.

Over the course of the game, the lads once again bagged themselves six goals thanks to some superb passing and incredible teamwork. Results have been excellent this season, although the most pleasing thing about the 2019/20 campaign is the friendship that’s developed since September. The boys back each other up and work tirelessly for one another. Their commitment to the team is undeniable.

Markie bagged another four goals to make it 67 for the season and Chase made it three goals in two games against Gloucester by bagging a brace.

Yet as pleasing as the goals were, it was the build up to each goal that really deserves the praise. Every one of the boys were magnificent. Every one of the boys played a considerable part in what was arguably our best performance in years.

Goals often earn the headlines, but it was the defensive stability of the side that deserves to steal the limelight this week! From Keon and Jason marauding up and down the wing, to Josh covering every blade of grass on the pitch, the determination shown by the lads to protect their clean sheet was a joy to behold. Danny, Ethan, Hughey, Reo, Oscar and Jahkadi deserve huge credit for their defensive play and with a bit of luck and plenty of hard work, it’ll be the first of many!

Well done boys!

Up The Ton!

Monday 2nd December 2019 @ Vale Stadium, Castle Vale

Hillstone 7 – 1 Oval (aggregate score)

On a crisp, cold evening at Castle Vale Stadium on Monday, Hillstone snagged the ESPSFA Trophy as they defeated a valiant Oval side. The final made all the more significant as both sides were captained by Erdington & Saltley district players.

As agreed, ‘stone began with a two-goal lead and any early goal on the night would be pivotal – and so it proved. Just over a minute had elapsed before Hillstone struck and less than two minutes later they had doubled their advantage on the night and the final was rapidly slipping away from The Oval. Not allowing The Oval time on the ball, Hillstone hounded their opponents and the red’n’blacks added two more to their tally: – one a fine fiercely hit strike, the other a close-range tap in. The 4-0 half-time scoreline, which excluded the 2-0 start, left The Oval with more than Everest to conquer, they would need to reach to for the stars.

Credit though to the lads in blue who never gave up and kept on plugging away; they more than deserved their second half goal. Hillstone though just had too much on the night for their rivals from Kitts Green and were justly crowned Trophy winners for 2019.

One feels that this may not be last of the trophies that will be Hillstone-bound this season – the standard has been set, can anyone match them?

It was great to see four district players in action and even better to see Markie and Lennon captain Hillstone and the Oval respectively. Neither player took it easy on the other and it was a combative midfield battle all evening.

Well done boys!

Up The Ton!

Saturday 30th November 2019 @ Vale Stadium, Castle Vale

Birmingham Primary Schools’ FA Under 11s League

East Birmingham 1 – 3 Erdington and Saltley

Team: Danny, Hughey, Oscar, Reo, Ethan, Lennon, Joshua, Kayden, Kortney and Jason

Goals: Oscar x 2 and Kortney

Man of the Match: Lennon – the epitome of determination from start to finish

With our captain away on Villa duty and a couple of other key members of the squad missing, Saturday was a true test of our title ambitions.

We started the game confidently and passed the ball with composure and attacking intent. Yet for all of our possession, we simply couldn’t find the back of the net! The opening third saw us create four or five good goal scoring opportunities, only for our shooting boots to be left in the changing room.

As often proves the case, if you don’t take your chances in football, it has a tendency to make you pay. With two minutes remaining of the first twenty, East broke through our defence and took the lead thanks to a clinical finish.

This came as a blow to the boys and it took them until the end of the middle period to get back on their feet. After spurning a chance to equalise from the spot, the levelled the scores via a well taken Oscar volley from a Lennon corner.

The whole team collectively breathed a sigh of relief.

Yet despite being back in the game, the boys knew they had to throw everything they had at East in an attempt to consolidate their position at the top of the league.

A re-shuffle of the team saw Ethan drop back into defence and a switch to a two-man back line, while Oscar pushed further up field to join Kayden as an attacking pair. This switch brought almost immediate rewards when Oscar bagged his second goal of the game, following up from a Kayden strike to tuck the ball away.

With Lennon and Josh now controlling the middle of the park and Reo and Ethan sniffing out any East forays into our half, the lads extended their lead thanks to Kortney. The left winger has hit a run of great form since Gloucester away a few weeks ago and grabbed a much deserved goal when he burst into the box before smashing a left footed drive into the roof of the net.

The result was hard earned but that made it all the more satisfying.

Well done boys!

Up The Ton!

Saturday 23rd November 2019 @ Vale Stadium, Castle Vale

Birmingham Primary Schools’ FA Under 10s League

Erdington and Saltley B 10-0 Erdington and Saltley C

B Team: Olaf, Yaw, Younussa, Rhys, Cairo, Mahliq, Kaiden, Shane and Dylan

Goals: Younussa x 4, Dylan x 2 Rhys x 3 and Shane

Man of the Match: Yonussa – a box-to-box central midfield performance that ended with a hat trick

C Team: Remi, Shaun, Tobi, Jack, Daniel, Sidney, Shae, Taio and Marshal

Man of the Match: Tobi – threw himself on the line in order to defend his team

Representative Games

Erdington and Saltley U10s A 1 – 6 Sutton Coldfield U10s A

Team: Jack, Reo, Yaw, Younussa, Mahliq, Omari, Andrius, Uzi and Ebrima

Goal: Uzi

Man of the Match: Reo – intelligent in possession and brave in the tackle

Erdington and Saltley U11s 3-2 St. Alban’s

Team Danny, Corey, Hughey, Oscar, Jahkadi, Kortney, Kayden, Markie, Ethan, Joshua, Chase and Dylan

Goals: Markie x 2 and Joshua

Man of the Match: Markie – all action midfield performance

Another busy morning at Vale Stadium, saw 35 boys represent The Ton, across four teams. We scored 19 goals in total and conceded 18! It’s fair to say, the morning was bursting at the seams with drama and excitement!

In the all-Erdington derby, the B team proved too strong for the C team, although they didn’t have it all their own way. Each member of the C team gave it their all and ensured that the B team had to work hard for their victory. Highlights of the game include some fiercely contested tackles, a superb double save by Remi, excellent last ditch defending from Tobi and some exquisite passing from the B team.

Unfortunately the A team didn’t find goals as easy to come by as their B team counterparts. Yet despite the one-sided nature of the scoreline, the boys played superbly. This hasn’t been the easiest season to date for the A team but today they played with confidence and flair. On another day, Sutton could have easily conceded six, rather than scoring six. Alas, it wasn’t meant to be and the boys only had Uzi’s consolation goal to show for their spirited efforts.

That left the under 11s to close another weekend of district football. With ten wins from their opening ten games of the season, the boys went into the game with St. Alban’s full of confidence. After taking the lead with two minutes on the clock through a thunderous Markie strike, the boys played some excellent passing football.

St. Alban’s were made of stern stuff though and bounced back to lead 2-1 at the end of the first interval. They almost led 3-1 but an Oscar diving header to clear the ball from his own goal line ensured the boys remained in the game with 25 minutes to play.

Joshua returned to goal scoring form by finishing off a great team move to level the game, allowing Markie to take centre stage and score his second thunderous strike of the morning.

With the 11th win of 2019/20 secured, the boys were able to breath a sigh of relief and look back on a performance packed full of determination and spirit. This result and the ones against Telford and South Birmingham highlight the unity that has developed in this team. They simply don’t know when they’re beaten.

Well done boys! All 35 of you!

Up The Ton!

Saturday 16th November 2019 @ Oxtalls Tennis Centre, Gloucester

Gloucester 2 – 6 Erdington and Saltley

Team: Danny, Corey, Ethan, Hughie, Oscar, Jahkadi, Kortney, Markie, Joshua, Kayden and Chase

Goals: Markie x 4, Kayden and Chase

Man of the Match: Markie – Putting the goals to one side, Markie arrived as a captain yesterday thanks to an incredibly mature performance on and more importantly, off the ball.

Gloucester u10s 7 – 1 Erdington and Saltley u10s

Team: Olaf, Shaun, Ciaro, Yaw, Rhys, Mahliq, Kian, Shane, Dylan and Younusa

Goal: Mahliq

Man of the Match: Cairo – stuck to his defensive duties throughout the game, even when those around him lapsed.

With Longlevens falling victim to the weather, yesterday’s games was switched to a local 3G venue. With the sky blue and the temperature mild, there wasn’t a drop of rain in the air. Perfect conditions for football and a stark contrast to when Gloucester u10s visited Birmingham a couple of weeks ago!

Both teams started their respective game positively, controlling possession and playing with confidence. Unfortunately for the under 10s, they were unable to make their early dominance count and found themselves one down to a lovely, well worked Gloucester goal. As they had down two weeks ago, Gloucester u10s played some excellent football and linked up superbly as a team.

On the adjacent pitch, the under 11s took a two goal lead into the first break, after captain and all time Ton leading scorer Markie bagged a brace of goals. Throughout the first third, the whole team played with the kind of vigour and unity that has marked their performances all season.

The second period saw Gloucester u10s double their lead and take a firm grip of the game, with Erdington seeing less of the ball and playing with far less confidence than they had in the opening 15 minutes.

The same could not be said for the under 11s who, despite conceding a penalty, continued to push forward in numbers. Testing the Gloucester keeper with a number of rasping drives, the boys added a third through hat trick hero Markie. However the moment of the period belonged to debutante Chase, whose remarkable volley sent the crowd into raptures, only for the footballing gods to rightly rule it out for offside.

With the under 11s 3-1 in the lead, the under 10s saw their chances of victory diminish as the Gloucester goals arrived with increasing frequency.

Despite the obvious disappointment of seeing his wonder strike chalked off, Chase marked his debut with a goal when he poked home from close range to make it 5-1. Moments before that, Kayden rifled home from the edge of the area, reacting instinctively to Markie’s penalty cannoning off the Gloucester bar.

However, the goal of the game belonged to the captain, whose thunderous strike from outside the box smashed against the keeper’s right hand post and into the net.

Six goals to one and with the clock ticking down, the final goal of the morning belonged to Gloucester u11s. After breaking the offside trap, the Gloucester forward made it two goals for his district and for him personally.

As the under 11s made their way to the changing room, their year five counterparts played out the remaining minutes of their game, safe in the knowledge that the year six team, who had just made it nine wins from nine in 2019/20, lost half of their games during their first season together. The under 10s will continue to grow as a team and their football will continue to improve. Of that, there is no doubt.

Thank you Gloucester for a highly enjoyable morning!

Well done boys!

Up The Ton!

Saturday 9th November 2019 @ Vale Stadium, Castle Vale

West Midlands County Schools’ FA 7-a-side Championship

Team: Danny, Ethan, Hughie, Lennon, Markie, Jason, Keon and Joshua

Goals: Markie x 4

Man of the Match: Ethan – a defensive rock!

Group Stage:

Erdington and Saltley 1-0 Sandwell

Erdington and Saltley 0-0 East

Erdington and Saltley 0-0 Wolverhampton

Semi-final:

Erdington and Saltley 1-0 Dudley

Final:

Erdington and Saltley 2-0 Sutton Coldfield

On a bitterly cold (but thankfully dry) Saturday morning, the boys wrote their name in Erdington and Saltley folk law by retaining the West Midlands County Schools 7-a-side title they won for the first time ever in 2018. With three members of the 2018 winning side in action (Danny, Ethan and Markie), the boys knew they would have to hit peak form if they were to win the 2019 edition and take one step closer to the national finals.

Unfortunately we didn’t get into our stride throughout the group stage and only managed to score a solitary goal. With a one nil win against Sandwell in our opening game, the boys put themselves one win away from the knock-out stage.

Yet despite their best efforts against East Birmingham, they simply couldn’t score. With both their post and crossbar rattled, East dug in deep and worked tirelessly for their point.

That meant the final group game had more riding on it that we would have hoped for. Wolverhampton sat top of the group after two wins from their opening two games. After failing to pick up the tempo against East, we at least did that against our Black Country rivals, although once again we failed to find the back of the net.

Fortunately for us, we qualified from the group and in true tournament style, grew into the morning as we saved our best two performances of the day for the knock out round.

Against Dudley in the last four, we battled our hearts out and truly worked as a united team. Each one of the boys threw their body on the line, as epitomised by Markie and Lennon, when the former decided to try and eat the latter’s head! To cut a long story short, the boys were simply prepared to leave everything on the pitch for a place in the final.

With a superb 1-0 victory behind them, The Ton squared up against good friends in a final for the second time this season, after meeting them en route to lifting the Birmingham Primary Schools’ 7-a-side in September.

Once again, there was no questioning the commitment of the boys. A switch to a three man defence saw Jason drop into the back line, and the St. Mary and John wing wizard ran his socks off up and down the length of the pitch. Likewise, up top, the third of our three under 10s in action, Keon, chased, harried and closed down every Sutton Coldfield player within 20 metres of him.

However, it was in defence where the plaudits should be showered most. With five clean sheets from five games, Hughie, Joshua, Danny and Ethan ensured our recent knack of conceded a few goals while scoring even more was reversed. The boys were hostile in defence, refusing to allow anything to get through. Ethan in particular put on an incredible show of resolute defending.

With a 2-0 win, the boys continued their incredible start to the season and made it two tournament wins from two.

We can’t wait for the Midlands round of this prestigious tournament and look forward to travelling to Nottingham early in 2020.

This team continue to grow as a unit and go from strength to strength. They are a pleasure to work with and a joy to watch.

Well done boys!

Up The Ton!