War of the Roses! – Sirius A Versus Sirius B Year 8 7-A-Side Footbal
Last Wednesday I took two teams from Sirius to a Year 8 ‘B’ Tournament at St.Mary’s College
The two teams were made up of some boys who do not always get the opportunity to play for
the academy first team.
The students joy at being given this opportunity was evident in the ‘sing song’ on the way –
everyone happy and extremely upbeat!
By the time we had arrived the rivalry between the two teams had set in! Take into account that
the boys had picked their own teams and constructed their own formations, it became apparent
there was going to be a rather full of themselves ‘A’ team against a more reserved ‘B’ team that
included super goalkeeper Travis Jessop! Livelier than a cat!
The ‘A’ team consisted of Kieran Bartlett; Josh Richardson;Jay Tennison;Owen Chaffer; Josh Hultum;
Taylor Purdey; and Jordan Worner. .
The ‘B’ team consisted of Travis Jessop; Joseph N’tumba; Bongani Merthma; Charlie Brooks;
Liam Holdstock; Ali Bostani; Mohammadi Lutfullah and Elijah Hembury.
With only three teams represented, two from the academy and one from St.Mary’s, it made you wonder
was this all worthwhile? But I couldn’t have been more wrong and was pleased to be proved so!
Our ‘A’ team played first and they demolished St.Mary’s 7-1 even after going a goal down. The ‘A’ team were
now ‘full of beans’ and thinking bring on the ‘B’ team! Don’t ask who scored it was too cold and rather
insignificant to take note!
Sirius ‘A’ versus ‘B’ next – the ‘War of the Roses’-was not far away from the truth.
The ‘A’ team purring from their victory and their air of expectancy, ‘swanked’ themselves onto the pitch.
Mark Arridge( St.Mary’s) and I were pleasantly surprised at what unravelled itself in front of our eyes.
A super game with quality football and a competitiveness unrivalled between two opposing teams never
mind from the same academy.
The game was a lesson in itself in never to ‘judge a book by its cover’ – something I fear the ‘A’ team had
done. 1- 1, 2-2, 3 -2, 4-2, 4 -3! – to the ‘B’ team.Fantastic football! Fantastic viewing! Fantastic entertainment!.
With myself trying to keep neutral and Mark egging on the underdogs it became rather a spectacle.
It was a game worthy of a final -although demoralising for our ‘A’ team. The tournament was now open and to won
by all three teams. However, the ‘B’ team were now in pole position, if they beat St.Mary’s they were winners!
Our ‘A’ team were now cheering on St.Marys! I could not believe what I was seeing -an ‘A’ teams pride hurting and
hoping for salvation from their opponents.
The ‘B’ team scored first and then St.Marys equalised ( to cheers from our other half), but it ended up 5 – 1 and our
‘B’ team had done it! Travis ‘the cat’ Jessop jumped for joy! Sirius ‘B’ were champions!
A great advert for schools’ football and in giving more opportunity to students to participate in sport when they might
not get a chance!
And the moral of the tale is never expect or underestimate!
Well done ‘B’ team!
