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.