Year 6 - Rockleaze Tournament, 17th June

A week can be a very long time in any walk of life and, after the excitement of the school trip to France, so it proved to be in the wonderful world of the year 6 Foxes.

The final Tournament of the year saw the coaches agonise over the selection of the squad of 12, looking to provide a balance in all positions as well as strength throughout. Those selected were: Archie, Owen, Harri, Seb, Nick, Ollie K, Ollie C, Joey, Danny, Jack C, Sam L and Omar.

The value of cover in every position soon came to the fore after Archie, minutes before kick off in the first game, was dazed by a ball to the face. Reassuringly Owen was on hand to pull on the gloves. Dowend proved to be tough opponents - good enough to go on an win the whole thing. As it was, this was the best the Foxes played taking a one—nil lead through a great strike from Joey before conceding a very late equalizer. In the end only a brave goal-line clearance from Nick gave us a share of the points.

As the afternoon wore on the effects of no sleep and long coach journeys crept up on the unusually sluggish Foxes. A 5-0 win against Clifton, including a hat-rick from Omar, and a 1-0 win against Rockleaze Pirates meant that the group ended with us on the same points, wins and goal difference as Downend. A penalty shoot out was the chosen way to settle who would finish top and, when Ollie C coolly slotted our final one, the honour was ours.

The quarter final was against the Buccaneers and once again a single goal decided it. I am not sure that we deserved to win as we struggled to turn possession into clear chances, but we worked as hard as tired legs and minds would allow and in the end tumbled out much earlier than we have become used to over recent years.

The reaction of the boys, disappointment edged with relief that they could go home, summed up a Tournament too far at the end of a rather wonderful Foxes season.