Year 2 Foxes at the Clifton Tournament

Two teams of Year 2 Foxes crossed the Suspension Bridge to the Millionaire's playground that is the Clifton College Sports Ground. The sun was blazing down and the 3G pitches were laid out and waiting for the festival of football to start. Each of the Foxes teams played five matches, this time it was our old adversaries from the Friendly "League" who were providing the opposition.

Again, we were out of our comfort zone. Big pitches, five a side, goals that were about 10ft wide by 3ft tall and a playing surface with not a lump, divot or puddle to be seen. But we gave it a real go, a few (but not all) lessons had been learned and we doubled the number of wins from seven days previously as the goals flew in at both ends.

After joining last week, Hemang made his competitive debut for the Foxes. He started in goal and showed some good touches and well timed tackles when moved into defence. And there was another notable first when Jessica fired in her first goal for the Foxes and celebrated in great style. Ambrose and Jacob were the next Foxes to find the net. It took a while for the first win to come but soon after we were on a roll. After literally shaking the bar with a thunderous free kick, Omar notched a quick-fire double to win one for Dave's team which also included Hemang, Jess, Ambrose, Matt, Elliot and Ben. On the other pitch, an Eden and Cos goal avalanche was underway for Pete's impressive team which included Louis, Jacob, Monty and Morgan.

Last week's penalty saving hero, Jacob H was showing he can score as well as save whilst putting in some lung-busting running back to produce last ditch tackles that would have put Premier League defenders to shame. With Cos and Eden prolificating for Pete's team, it was great saves by Ben and Elliot that caught the eye in Dave's team. Unfortunately, Elliot wasn't actually in goal at the time but the penalty was missed anyway!

For their efforts in the hot sun, the 13 shiny medals were richly deserved.



Year 2 Hooped Heroes



Year 2 Foxes at the Thornbury Tournament

The Year 2 Foxes made their tournament debuts on a sunny Sunday afternoon in Thornbury. Encouraged by the massed ranks of hooped Foxes marching en masse to the arena, two Year 2 teams joined the Under 7 five a side fray.

Up on the Downs we're more used to 20+ scrimmaging in the mud in some sort of medieavel battle re-enactment. Here it was completely different. Firstly, it wasn't raining, secondly the pitches, marked out for the older age groups looked massive and thirdly it was only five a side. I did feel for our littl'uns stood lonely in acres of space. What the empty spaces did encourage was passing (though unsurprisingly, not much by us) and it was a pleasure to see some good football being played by many teams. To begin with our naivety (0-0-4 formations rarely work) was punished but soon we were getting organised, Elliot was flattening tackling people left, right and centre, Charlie and Eden were revelling in the space and Matt was doing everything but find the net including some excellent goalkeeping.

We were beaten by one man in a game against St Valliers (whoever they are!)which was a real eye-opener what individual talent exists at this young age. (Saw him and his mum leaving clutching an invitation to attend Ipswich Town academy - I don't envy his parents making that midweek drive to training!).

But soon it was the Foxes quality shining through. Eden notched a brace as the first win was bagged, then shortly after a tactical battle was won (by leaving our striker in the opponents half on his own) as Ambrose, Omar and Charlie all latched on to long balls to score.

But the real drama was left to the last game as Pete's boys battled not only their opponents but a young ref too. Free kicks are rare at this level, penalties are rarer than hen's teeth. Imagine our surprise when we had one awarded against us! Fortunately Jacob H made the save. Imagine our slight consternation when we had a second awarded against us. Jacob H made the save. Now, this is only a five minutes each way match so you understand the "disappointment" amongst the Foxes following when unbelievably we had a third penalty awarded against us. Jacob H made the save! I bet you can't guess what happened next. We had a fourth penalty awarded against us! The moment of truth, could Jacob do it again. Surely they would score this time? Bang! Smashed against the bar and away to safety. Never was a 0-0 draw more deserved.

Player of the Day: Jacob H, great defending and unbeatable from six yards. A true Foxes hero.

Year 2 Foxes v Shire Colts

The final match of the Year 2 Foxes debut campaign. A tricky away day at the little known Sea Mills Rec. An oasis of calm that proved a little stressful until you realised that there was no entrance, just four footpaths from the surrounding roads.

But we all got there sooner or later. Sixteen Foxes stood proud and ready for battle. The sun was blazing but the conditions were tricky due to long grass and dandelions. Same for both teams. Four games were played, the Foxes split evenly, the Colts, well who knows!

Pete's team played two fantastic matches, evenly matched against both Colts teams. In the first, Omar found his scoring touch whilst Jacob H scored for the second saturday running. The whole team were excellent and gave a battling performance against some skillful opponents. In the second game, Pete's team were on top as string of chances were created and Charlie scored the goal that was the least that his performance merited.

On the other pitch my team "enjoyed" a mixture of emotions. In the first game it was one way traffic with Matt bagging a quick-fire hattrick, Josh adding a brace and Toby firing in for the second game running. London Buses anyone? Sophie was adorned in Foxes hoops for the first time and certainly looked the part. By the second game, it had all changed. One way traffic again and we were the ones in reverse. Elliot and Oliver were the goalkeepers with plenty of back-breaking work and our attempts to park the bus would not have impressed Jose Mourinho. Still, we kept going and saved the best to last. Matt went on a solo dribble (instructions on man to man marking seemingly lost in translation!) and headed for the Shire goal. The keeper woke from his twenty three and a half minute slumber but was too slow to react as Oliver found himself in front of goal with the ball at his feet. Bang! the ball was in the net, Oliver had his first goal for Foxes and the rest is history. The cheer must have woken the posh folks of Stoke Bishop and Sneyd Park.

Players of the Week: Non-Stop Charlie and Goal Machine Oliver!