THE GIRLZ ARE BACK...

More of them.

More determined.

And definitely louder.

This year, with a new, improved formula:

Passing!

Yes, a morning of non-stop footie against Bishop Road kicked off the Formidable Year 5s season, and it looks like a good one.

Two new recruits already, drum roll please...........

A Big Foxy Welcome to Ella Clarke! (applause)

Go Wild for Emily Burbidge!

That makes well over 20 on the foxy roll of honour - well done girls.

Two teams took on the Bishop Rd Buccaneers.

With new coach Jo “another lap of the pitch” Davis were Marielle, Phoebe, Sophie HR, Anna D, Izzy, Bryony, Abby and Megan. In their first game they did everything more right than a right thing, but never quite found the net. Easily the best passing this coach has seen saw several moves worked all the way from defence to striker, with consistent looking up and picking out partners. Top work girls. Marielle and Izzy were, as ever, solid in goal with some brave saves and massive clearances.

Under the watchful eyes of Sally “silky skills” Wistow were Erin, Tia, Ella W, Ella T Molly H, Emily B, Sophie C, Emily C and Sacha. Again, some fine goalkeeping from Erin and Tia kept the Buccaneers at bay, and Molly H, Sophie and Ella W were dogged and determined up front. Tia invented a whole new cunning move, forever now known as The Tia Tackle. Basically, you suss out the opposition’s names, call out “Megan” convincingly, and they then pass to you. Saves all that messy going after the ball, getting your boot stuck in etc. Nice one Tia!

Without our two top scorers, Sophie M and Emily T, we struggled to find the goals, but maybe learnt more as a result. Full marks for determination and enthusiasm, as ever, and just a bit more belief will bring some victories.

Player of the week?

For massive improvement, for huge courage in her first ever game, and for a right boot unmatched for power we salute:

Emily “Cannonball” Burbidge!

Yr 5 Boys v Sefton Park

A new season. A new age group. But the same old Downs with a reassuringly familiar north/north-westerly to make the Foxes feel at home, playing two and winning two.

The squad was a little short of numbers due to the enforced attendance for 5 boys at a secret boot-camp but we were still able to field two equal strength teams of 8 a-side.

Team one (Alec - welcome back Alec - Archie, Sonny, Max, Ollie K, Seb, Sam L and Ollie C) took a little while to remember to keep their shape and support each other. However things settled down with Sonny slotting the first goal after good work from Sam. Sefton Park kept pressing but another goal from Sonny and two excellent finishes from Max saw us home 4-0.

Player of the week - Max.

Team two (Joey, Owen, Jack T, Jack C, Ian, Raul, Jacob and Nick) has already warmed up against the year 4s and so played with more structure from the start. Joey, who was everywhere, scored one goal and Raul deserved his two. There were impressive performances from Jack T and Ian, on his Foxes debut, at the back. 3-0 was a comfortable margin and it could have been more, particularly if we could have got a head on any one of our impressive corners.

Player of the week - Jack C.

Well played everyone and thanks to the year four Foxes for giving both sides a game and Team One a very real scare.

NEW (school) YEAR STARTS HERE

It hardly seems possible that the summer hols have finished - but yes, we're back and raring to go for the new season.

There's not much to say, except a big THANK YOU for everyone's support last year, a great End of Season finale and a crackin' party at Goldbrick House.

Cheers m'dears!

Last year's Y6s will be sadly missed - but suffice to say we will be expecting the former Y6 parents to keep turning up at the Christmas and end of year bashes.

Good luck to the Y7s joining the newly formed Bishopston United.

That's it - see you on the Downs.

Westbury Park Foxes Accounts 2009-10

Here are the details of our accounts for the year ended 31 March 2010.

As ever anyone is very welcome to take a look at the books (which I can assure you are kept very much up to date) and check the numbers are OK!

Westbury Park Foxes
Accounts

Year End 31 March 2010

Income
Subscriptions £2,524.15
Parties £907.72
Clothing sales £733.46
Sponsorship £300.00
Other £4.00
Total £4,469.33

Expenditure
FA Affiliation fees £36.00
Training Equipment £1,971.46
Parties £812.50
EoS tournament £180.00
CRB checks £20.00
Match kits £0.00
Clothing £712.14
First Aid Kits £111.13
Tournament entry fees £500.00
Total £4,343.23

Surplus £126.10

Represented by
Cash in bank £572.89
Less uncleared cheques £0.00
Less surplus carried over £446.79
Total £126.10

Cash analysis
Cash in bank £572.89
Less uncleared cheques £0.00
Total cash to hand £572.89

Represented by
Surplus 2008 £446.79
Surplus 2009 £126.10
Total £572.89

Prepared by:
Andy Marshall
Treasurer
13 May 2010

Year 4 Girls at the BLUs Tournament 20th June

What a great Tournamnet for the Foxes - it made my father's day and I don't even have a daughter.

We took a squad a 9 - Sophie Mc (Cpt), Anna D, Sophie C, Ella T, Molly H, Phoebe, Marielle, Emily C, Bryony - to play all comers at the BLUs Tournament.

Our group started with a 0-0 draw against Longwell Green U10s who ended up pipping us for second spot and a place in the semi. Then came a great 2-0 win against the BLU's Colts with goals from Anna D and Captain McConnell (and our best ever goal celebration).

We then played the giants from the land of St Nicks U10s who are really rather good and really very big. We may have lost this one but a win in our final group game would have given us a chance of progressing. Up came another BLUs side and it is fair to say that, if Phoebe's shot had gone in rather than hitting the post, a win would have been a fair result. In the end we had to settle for a draw and third place in a group of 5 - in an U10s Tournament. And we are only U9s in case you haven't noticed.

All the girls should be proud of themselves - because we are. All the way from Marielle in goal to the midfield trio we were excellent but Bryony deserved to be named player of the Tournament.

Foxes Win Medals At Rockleaze

Hugs, kisses, cheering and congratulations - and that was only on the sidelines as the talented lads from Y6 crashed their way into the final of the Rockleaze Tournament on Sunday. Hurrah!

Gabe Kerfoot became The Special One as he slotted a coolly taken shot past the Sefton Park goalkeeper in the last minute of the semi-final - putting the Foxes in the final and thus avoiding a heartbreaking penalty shoot-out. Well done Gabe.

And in the final against Rockleaze the boys were narrowly beaten by a well taken goal. But the boys certainly were not out played - we had our chances - and the game could have gone either way. Unfortunately, it went their way.

The day hadn't started quite so well for the Y6s. After a promising start in the first match against Golden Hill Sonics, the boys gifted the Sonics a draw and went on to lose their next game.

The coaches were about ready to put on their Foxy jackets and go home when the boys found their form and the goals began to flow. They finished second in their group - on goal difference. Their semi-final was against Sefton Park, who had beaten the boys - in a penalty shoot-out - in the semi-final of 2008 (not that we hold grudges - but revenge was sweet).

The whole squad played tremendously well and were a credit to the club: Kris Carr (captain), Hugo Cullum, Joe Feehily, Gabe Kerfoot, Ben Lawes, Eddie Marshall, Jamie McConnell, Harvey Morgan, Oliver Williams and Tom Wistow.

Head coach-in-chief Paul Williams said: "After a shaky start, to get to the final and lose narrowly to the strongest Rockleaze squad is a great achievement.

"We played some brilliant, high energy football which impressed the crowds and the other teams' managers. The coach of the Sonics rang me today to say how lucky they felt to get a draw against us, and how they felt that we were the best team they played against by far."

COME ON THE FOXES!

Other Foxes teams narrowly missed out on reaching the finals. Y5s won all their group games - a fantastic achievement - only to be knocked out in the semi-final. The Y4s were on fire in the group only to be beaten by Shire Colts (again) in the semi.

Y3s and Y2s looked impressive in their Festival of Football sections and all the children won medals.

The club and school should be proud of the good behaviour and sporting brilliance shown by all our teams on Sunday. Well done teams and a HUGE thank you to the coaches.

Bring on the End of Season Tournament.

Training moved to grass beside St Monica's

Training tomorrow (Sat June 12) has been moved from our usual site near the cafe to the grassy area next to St Monica's (where school Sports Day used to be).

The move is due to the take over of the Downs by the Race For Life. We will return to our usual place next week.