Repton School v Y11 Boys (County Cup Quarter Final)

Posted: December 15th, 2016

Opponents: Repton School (County Cup Quarter Final)
Venue: Away
Date: Thursday 15th October
K.O. 2.15pm

Do you believe in omens? As we arrived at the perfectly manicured Repton School Sports Centre, it was noticed that the nets were blue and yellow. Not just any blue or yellow, but STB blue and yellow. And we smiled.

Repton were an expensively assembled side of brutish looking giants. We smiled. After 20 minutes, we were playing delightful, incisive football and were 2 – 0 up thanks to two finishes of crisp authority by Luke Campbell. But there wasn’t time to smile and by half-time it was 2-2.

The game was now about character, rather than technical ability. It would be about courage and discipline and determination and we had plenty in reserve. We refused to be hassled and harassed and the smiles began to appear again.

However, it was level at full time and despite the best efforts of Jack Barlow and his 30yd thunderbolt that grazed the crossbar, it remained that way after extra time.

It was now about nerve. We held ours. They didn’t. Every member of the squad was exceptional but it is only right to single out for particular praise Ryan ‘The Don’ Key who proved boss of the penalty shootout, scoring one and saving three.

Be humble in victory and gracious in defeat. Make no mistake, this was a victory for the whole school and not just the football team. We deserved to win, and in the gathering gloom we shook hands and said, “Well played.” And, as Repton trudged off, we looked at the blue and yellow nets. An omen. And then we smiled.

Squad
1. Ryan Key
2. Dillon Steele
3. Lewis Franks
4. Jack Redman
4. Ethan Clarke
6. George Kiernan
7. Lewis Hopwood ©
8. Jack Finney
9. Yosief Yohannes
10. Jack Barlow
11. Luke Campbell
12. Hamish Snape
13. Harrison Brennan
14. Freddie Doorbar
15. Will Bailey