Yr 4 Boys v Ashley Down

The weather did its best to scupper this round of fixtures. First, by raining so hard and so long all week that the Ashley Down pitch was unplayable. We overcame that one by switching the games to the rain-sodden Downs. Then it tried to scare us into submission by arranging thunder and lightening (oh, and hail) first thing on Saturday morning. That was never likely to stop us and so in the end it relented and bathed the Downs in sunshine as the Year 4 boys played very impressively once again.

In total we played 4 games winning them all by scores of 7-1, 6-1, 4-1 and 4-0. Ashely Down's squad was a bit depleted and to their credit some of the passages of play were much closer than the score lines suggest.

All of our boys played well and kept their levels of concentration and effort up to a very high level. As always we looked much better when we decided to look for the easy pass - which to be fair is becoming a much more common feature of our play.

Highlights of the day included Dave L's reffing, a Sam L's hatrick (not in the game that his dad was reffing, by the way), goals from Harri TD (see Harri, you can play in defence and still score goals) and Aidan, back to his best despite a knock to his ankle. Players of the week, however, come from the two squads but only one family. Raul scored perhaps the best Foxes goal with his first time finish rounding off an eyecatching and flowing move from our own penalty area and Jacob both scored and pulled off a fine double save. Well done to the Gibsons.

Y6 Girls are Bristol Primary Schools Champions

Yes, for those who have yet to hear, the Y6 girls triumphed in the Bristol Girls Schools finals. After qualifying from the North Bristol PE Cluster they progressed to a 5 match round robin competition at Filton against schools from the rest of Bristol. The girls won all 5 and scored 20 goals, conceding only 1.
They will now represent Bristol in the English Schools FA County Finals which will be held in Yate on 7th December from 3-6pm. Get your sicknotes ready and come and cheer on the Foxes' most successful team to date.

Year 6 Boys enjoy heavy scoring v Ashley Down

As ever the only playable pitches to be found in Bristol were on the Downs this Saturday and so every Foxes match from each year group switched to our spiritual home close to the cafe and with the sun suddenly shining for us.

There were Foxes shirts wherever you could see and the year 6 boys relished the chance to play some great football against Ashley Down.

We played six games in total winning 2-0, 4-0, 4-0, 1-0, 3-0 and 6-1. There were so many highlights for us: Tom W bagging a brace (and player of the week) in the final match, a cracking goal from Ben (was it a shot or a cross - who cares?) an Eddie hat-trick (each goal smashed in from less than 6 inches - but you have to be there to score them...), a goal from Harvey in the final match and Kris, Tom, Danny and Sam all featuring in goal. The final goal tally on the day: Eddie 5, Tom W 3, Ben 3, Gabe 3, Jack 3, Oliver W 2, Harvey 1. Well played also to Adam, Sam, Kris, Danny and Oliver D.

Yr 4 vs Ashley Down - 28th Nov - NOW ON THE DOWNS

As predicted Ashley Down's home pitch is wet and unfit for play. The Downs will be wet but perfectly playable. So please meet as normal at 10.00am.

NOW ON THE DOWNS Yr 6 Boys 28 November v Ashley Down

The fixture for the year 6 boys for 28 November (tomorrow) has been moved to the Downs.

Please meet on the Downs at 10am.

Year Four Boys vs Golden Hill Sonics

We were spared the lashing rain, but strong winds buffeted the Y4 Foxes as they took on Golden Hill Sonics on the Downs. With two strong squads of 10, everyone played their part over four games in which they were unbeaten. The teams were evenly matched, and the games could have gone either way, but the Foxes emerged with three wins and a draw.

Dave T's squad had a strong looking line-up, but in shades of England-San Marino 1993(ask your dads to ask their dads about it) the Sonics caught them not just napping, but snoring with the duvet over their heads - bursting through from the kick-off to score after a few seconds. Playing into the wind slowly we managed to get a grip on the game against a well organized GHS sideand we were unlucky not to score with Raul just missing after a great run but we were also thankful for some great tackling from Aidan and Nick and some brave keeping from Owen. In the second half a hard working midfield display from Joey and Alec meant that we enjoyed the best of the play. Harri TD held the ball up brilliantly then laid a killer pass through to Joey, who skipped free of a series of ankle-biting challenges to level the scores. The Foxes then pounded the Sonics' goal, assisted by the wind, until in the final minute, Sonny returned a misplaced goalie kick out 'with interest', half-volleying into the net to clinch the game 2-1.

In their second game, coach Dave claimed that they "bossed" it, after once again coming snoring out of the blocks (the coach needs to work on his pre-match talks) and conceding an early goal. Once more we were playing into the wind and again we worked hard and gained control of the game. Some great defending from Jack T and a fine save by Harry F allowed our attacking players to go forward and after winning a succession of corners Harri TD delivered one of the best Foxy corners ever, looping over the near post defenders to then be coolly slotted away by Joey. 1-1 at half-time but in the second half we switched off for a moment and lost another goal before we had the best of the play and goals from Joey sand Sonny secured a 3-2 victory.

Special mentions in this squad, in addition to the goal scorers and creators, for superb tackling and all round effort from Aidan and Jack T.

Graham's squad enjoyed a comfortable opener, combining well as a squad and team to come out 2-0 winners, with goals from the deadly duo Omar and Danny.

Their second game proved more challenging. After falling behind to an early Sonics strike, they gradually played themselves into the game, passing and keeping possession for long spells before levelling through Danny before the break. The spirited Sonics then took the lead in the second half through an excellent pair of defence-splitting passes the length of the field. As the Foxes huffed and puffed and battered the Sonics goal, with chance after chance going begging (including a spectacular double save from consecutive efforts from Danny and Ollie K), it was finally left to the one they call "big Archie" to let fly, downwind, and burst the onion bag with the equaliser. It finished 2-2, a fair result and justly deserved over the four games for a sporting and competitive Sonics squad.
Special mentions for great all round displays from Jack C and Ollie C.

Thanks to all who played and helped, including Joey's dad as a stand-in referee. We look forward to the return fixture at Golden Hill later in the season."

Yr 4 Girls Swamp the BLUs ...

So there's this team that's like sooooo the place to be if you're like a girl and you, like wannaplayfootball, and you like live in North Bristol.

Anyway they're called the BLUs and anyone who's anyone has joined up.

Except, like, if they say it might rain.

10 brave BLU girls showed up, from three (count them, three) year groups ( Y3,Y4, Y5).
This, remember, the creme of North Bristol, we are told...



Lining up on the Green and White side - from a total selection pool of 29:
16 Proud Foxettes ( and we didn't even ask Y5s!)

Respect Is Due

(our snapper couldn't even get them all in one place at one time!)

So, two squads were picked, and two five a side games played.

The more experienced foxes ran out against a team of mostly Y5s, and ran their green and white socks off. Emily C took the goalie's shirt, and stopped some scorchers. Anna R in defence; might as well build a brick wall. Bryony, Sophie HR, Marielle and Phoebe ran like the wind in midfield and got some good tackles in. They've even started guessing where the passes are coming and making some good interceptions. Anna D and Emily T threatened up front, harried, passed, tackled and ran. Eventually, though, the experience of the Blus told, and some goals slipped past.

Interestingly, things brightened up for the Foxes when more BLUs showed up, allowing us to play our normal 7 a side (though of course we still had too many players!).
Final score, 4-0 to the Blus, but most of that came in the 5-a-side game.

These Foxes don't like losing, which is admirable, but hey girls, be proud: you were up against good opposition who punished every small lapse.

In this squad, Player of the Week has to be Emily C, who made some spectacular saves, and was strong and calm in goal throughout.

The other half of our match day squad were a mixture of fresh faces (Abby, Rosie and Ella W) and some battle hardened regulars (Ella T, Molly R, Sophie C, Megan and Tia). The game ebbed and flowed with everyone playing their part and doing the Foxes proud in what ended up, somehow, as a 0-0 draw.

Molly had a storming game in goal, Abby seems to be a natural defender, Rosie worked hard all over the pitch and made some strong breaks, Sophie C played well upfront and nearly scored on a couple of occasions, Ella W hit the post (theirs and not ours fortunately), Megan was brave and tackled hard and Tia was the best midfielder on either side. Without a doubt, however, our player of the week was 'The Rock' Ella T who used all of her experience to tidy up at the back and play some great passes out of defence.

Well done everyone.

And pass the word - we could use some more players...(like, seriously!)