The beautiful game
Football thrives across all age groups — this season has seen standout performances, high participation and a proud run to a national final
1 st XI Report The 1 st XI led from the front and delivered a strong and consistent season. In the Michael- mas term, they secured impressive wins against Alleyn’s, Brighton, and Chigwell, while a success- ful trip to Dame Allan’s in Newcastle saw them advance to the last 16 in both the ISFA and ESFA national competitions. Despite controlling large portions of their matches against Bede’s and Hampton, the 1 st XI struggled to convert posses- sion into goals, resulting in narrow defeats. These games demonstrated the team’s ability to control the tempo against strong opposition but also highlighted the need for greater clinical finishing in key moments. The squad’s resilience shone through as they regained winning form with commanding per- formances against Epsom, Harrow and St Paul’s. These victories, characterised by dominant pos- session and tactical play, showcased the full extent
of the team’s abilities. In both the London and Trinity cup competitions, the lack of finishing again proved costly, leading to exits in the later stages despite competitive displays. While silverware was elusive, the team’s style and consistency throughout the season were commendable, highlighting the strength of the programme and the collective effort of all involved. The season concluded on a high note, with a Year 13 leavers team helping to secure a victory over KCS Wimbledon. This was a fitting end to many of the squad’s football journeys at college over the past 11, seven or five years. The hope is that they will look back on their achievements with pride. Whole School Summary Football has enjoyed another outstanding year at the College. High levels of participation in co-curricular sessions and strong competition for places have driven standards even higher. Dulwich Football continues to grow in stature both regionally and nationally, with teams across all age groups proudly wearing the black-and-blue hoops and playing with real confidence. While there have been many standout individual and team performances, every pupil who represented the College should take pride in their contribution to a successful season. In the Junior School, it’s been wonderful to see so many pupils beginning their football journeys and making rapid progress. Fixtures against local schools including DPS, Cumnor House, Bickley Park, and Eaton House ensured every pupil had the chance to play. Teams also took part in several
by Tom Whitehead, Head of Football
tournaments, with strong showings throughout the season. The standout moment came from the U11A team, who finished runners-up in the London region and qualified for the National Finals at St George’s Park. There, they competed confidently against top schools – and even had the bonus of meeting England manager Thomas Tuchel. Football in the Lower and Middle Schools has gone from strength to strength, with record numbers attending Year 9 and 10 training. Teams competed regularly against top schools such as St Paul’s, Whitgift, Hampton, and KCS Wimbledon. The U14A team had a standout season, securing big away wins at Hampton and Harrow, and impressing at the Arsenal Independent Schools’ Trophy. The U15A team also shone, making a strong cup run that included a win over City of London before narr- owly losing 3–2 to eventual champions Aldenham.
Both teams went unbeaten to win their Southern Independent Schools league titles. Special credit goes to the U13B (W6 D2) and U16B (W6 D1) sides, the only unbeaten teams across the College – an exceptional feat given the strength of the fixture list. The Upper School season kicked off with a suc- cessful tour to Barcelona, where 45 pupils trained and played competitive fixtures against local sides. Back home, the momentum continued with up to nine Senior teams representing the College throughout the season. A highlight came from the 2 nd XI, who despite an up-and-down season, retained the Trinity Schools Cup with impressive wins over Trinity, RGS Guildford, and Hampton. A final mention goes to the boys representing the College at elite levels. This year, 11 pupils have been involved with professional academies,
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THE ALLEYNIAN 713
SPORTS
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