Football

The football squad took on a competitive fixture list this year as we once again faced some tough opposition selecting from their Fifth and Sixth Formers, whilst we put out 1st and 2nd XIs made up solely from our Upper Sixth Form. For that reason alone the boys should be thoroughly commended for some sterling efforts and performances through the term.

“The boys should be thoroughly commended for some sterling efforts and performances through the term.”

The season began with the now traditional match against the returning Old Peterites. Fresh out of their first term of university study, their fitness was perhaps not what it once was and the 1st XI ran out comfortable 7-1 winners with Oli Coulthard scoring a hat-trick. Two Sam Beighton goals were not enough in our next match against Woodhouse Grove as we ran them close but ended up on the wrong end of a 3-2 scoreline but it was back to winning ways against Hull Collegiate where a last-minute Nana Danso-Appiah goal gave us a 3-2 win. A 2-1 defeat against rivals Ampleforth was made better by two of our best performances of the season in the following matches, a 6-2 win over Sedbergh and a superb match against GSAL where we emerged 2-0 victors which included some outstanding team build-up play, finished off with George Barker’s long-range strike for perhaps the goal of the season. Losses to a good Bootham

side (4-0) and closer matches against Ripon Grammar (3-2) and Birkdale (2-1) brought the regular season to a close before we finished the year off with a well-deserved 18 holes of ‘footgolf’ and the presentation of football awards:

Top Goalscorer - Sam Beighton Manager’s Award - Jack Mayfield Most Improved Player - Isaac Watson Player’s Player - Jamie Dunsmore Player of the Year - Jamie Dunsmore

During lunchtimes across the Easter term, I was grateful to Mr Lawrence and Mr Bowden to assist in running the Lower Sixth House Football League. With some scintillating play and terrific support from the many Lower Sixth involved, Clifton pipped The Grove to take place whilst in the grand final, Temple overcame School House to become House Champions 2019.

Mr Ben White