The Alleynian 706 2018

SPORT

Football

T he ISFA National Cup Competitions, which always provide an exciting spectacle, started the season with a bang in the Michaelmas term. The U13s played John Lyon School in a closely fought game, but couldn’t quite do enough to take the game into extra time, after fighting back. The U15s, who have impressed over the course of this year, had a tough draw, facing Ardingly College away. After we took the lead and dominated the early stages, Ardingly took control, with Dulwich working hard to keep their Sussex counterparts at bay. As the game went into its final stages, Ardingly drew level and the game went into extra time, with Ardingly finding another gear and finishing convincingly. The 1st XI won their first-round match 6-1 versus LVS Ascot, with a new group of Year 12 and Year 13 boys coming together to play attacking

football on their first outing of the year. In the second round they drew Ardingly. Against an incredibly strong side, who had won the national title twice in the past four years, the boys found it difficult to get a foothold in the game. Ardingly pulled away, with the 1st XI learning some valuable defensive lessons to take into the season. The U12s had a great season. Enjoyment and development were key themes throughout. It was great to get A to G teams out on numerous occasions and the boys showed their high level of potential, with strong wins at all levels versus Caldicott Prep, KCS Wimbledon and Wilsons. The U13s seemed to be hit the hardest by the weather, spending a lot of time on the astro turf working on their technical skills during the first half of term. This led to a greater understanding of

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