On Thursday our Year 5/6 girls’ football team ventured to a new venue, Moulsford Prep School, to participate in our first tournament of the year. The prize for the two highest placed teams was a berth in the County Final in January 2025.

We began with a match against a familiar opponent in Goring, a tight game which was decided by a late winner for the opposition. However, this would the only goal we conceded in the entire competition.

A goalless draw with Whitchurch A followed, before we finally got into our stride and discovered a ruthless streak, dismantling Blewbury 3-0 thanks to a poacher’s goal from Saule, a Freya strike following a goalmouth scrap, and a tidy finish from Georgie. We were up and running, and never looked back.

3-0 was also the margin of victory in our next fixture against Whitchurch B. After a goalless first half, the girls’ hard work and pressure eventually paid off – Georgie scoring twice before a superb run and finish from Hazel rounded off the scoring.

We went into our final game against St Michaels knowing that a chance of qualifying was very much on the cards. We had remained defensively solid throughout, and were beginning to develop a real cutting edge in front of goal, and were aware that the final standings could come down to goal difference. What followed was a marvellous display of football.

We harried and hassled. We charged and we chased. We were determined and unrelenting.

We raced into a 4-0 lead within the first seven minute half. Issy provided a great run and finish to open the scoring before latching on to a wonderful cross field pass from Sylvie and firing it into the bottom corner. Further impressive strikes came from Georgie and Saule to send us in at half time in buoyant mood.

The second half followed the same level intensity, with Issy grabbing another to get her first hat trick in school colours, before Freya launched a dipping half volley that landed perfectly in the net. There was also time for Georgie to add two more goals and complete her own hat trick, and we finished with a brilliant 8-0 win.

When the final standings were announced, we were gutted to finish third and miss out on qualification for the County Final by one point. Despite this, it was great to see the girls building on the success of 2023-24, learning to play together and warming up nicely for what we hope will be another fantastic year for girls’ football at SCPS.

Well done to each of the girls for their fantastic effort, determination and desire. I have not checked the records, but I am pretty certain that we must be one of the very few teams to only concede one goal in a tournament and not go through. Either way, it was superb to see so many positive contributions.

Also, a big thanks to those parents who transported us there and back as well as those who turned up to watch.

The team was: Bethany B, Hazel B-M, Saule B, Issy C, Lili F, Sylvie F, Freya H, Alejandra M-P, Georgie Q, Ella W and Olivia Z.