1st XI vs Saint Ronan’s School
The 1st XI had a very hard fought draw against St Ronan’s on Wednesday afternoon. We played some excellent football at times and created some good opportunities to score. We took the lead through Ruben after a well worked move ended in a tap in for Ruben. A freak goal for St Ronan’s just before half time, was unfortunate and against the run of play. A well taken free kick from Finn B and a good attacking run from Tommy P resulted in a fine finish and we took the lead. With moments to go, we conceded a penalty in which Digby T made an incredible save, but St Ronan’s were first to get to the rebound and the referee gave a goal…. controversially! The game finished 2-2. Well done to the boys!
2nd XI vs Saint Ronan’s School
It was certainly a pleasure to play at home. The pitch was somewhat damp, but perfectly playable, which was a huge bonus. We started well, but it soon became apparent that St Ronan’s had power and pace. Although we put up a very creditable fight we were ground down and ended up losing 0-5. We did have some chances, but they were few and far between. It’s important that our heads do not go down and we look forward to our next game!
3rd Team vs Saint Ronan’s School
4th Team vs Saint Ronan’s School
U11A vs Saint Ronan’s School
Goal scorers – Louis (2), Hugo
Man of the match – Freddy B
HH lined up in a defensive set up – deploying 3 at the back against a team that we believed would be rather skilful. Instead, it was HH who started as the much better team, with Freddy making some fantastic passes and runs from right fullback position. HH continued to look threatening and after a fantastic forward run and cross from Freddy, we took the lead through a simple finish for louis. Louis then managed to double HH’s lead with a powerful finish after a Saint Ronan’s defensive error. Half time 2-0 to HH. After the break, Saint Ronan’s came out much better and looked dangerous in possession, a few tough blocks and tackles coming from Joel and Connor managed to keep HH two goals ahead. HH earned a freekick about halfway into the Saint Ronan’s half and after a short discussion over who should take it – Hugo stepped up and smashed it into the bottom right corner. A very impressive freekick! HH eager to keep their deserved clean sheet saw a rather too keen defender head the ball away – earning Saint Ronan’s an indirect freekick just inside the HH box, and a smart routine saw them smash the ball past almost all the HH team into the back of the net. A good battle ended in a 3-1 win for HH.
U11B vs Saint Ronan’s School
After the incessant rain of previous days, it was wonderful to see the sun shining on match day, as we entertained St. Ronan’s at under 11 level here at Holmewood on Wednesday. The sun was clearly shining on the pupils too, as they turned in another sterling team effort. The Colts B, with confidence increasing, following a superb performance against Brighton College last week, picked up where they left off then. Passing, close control, strength in the tackle, accurate distribution and some wonderful goals, made for another fine performance. It was lovely to see the goals shared around with Aaron scoring 3, Arthur 2, Jamie 1 and Louis C-J 1. The spectators were treated to a feast of fine, fast flowing, positive attacking football, using both flanks of the pitch effectively and taking the chances, as they came along. It really was a joy to watch and to see what has been practised in training sessions coming to fruition in matches. It was evident for all to see. I know the team is now looking forward to playing St. Andrew’s next week, where we will be looking to build on these two back-to-back wins. Well played boys – I am so proud of each and every one of you – keep playing your football with a smile on your face!
U11C vs Saint Ronan’s School
The U11C team kept up their impressive recent form with another resounding victory, this week against St Ronan’s. The boys have become a strong unit showing great teamwork. Their passing has improved so much this term, and they are now holding more clearly defined positions. They were particularly successful when using the width of the pitch and passing down the wings to help create opportunities on goal. Their attitude has always been great, and this was shown by them never giving the opposition a moment to relax on the ball. We ended up giving the boys the chance to try different positions in the second half, and won the game 6-0.
U10A vs Saint Ronan’s School
A thriller unfolded on Wednesday afternoon for the under 10As over at Saint Ronan’s. The closest game of the season so far saw 9 goals shared between the 2 sides. Going into the half time break it was 2-2 courtesy of excellent goals from Will G and Orlando. The second half saw Holmewood take the lead twice only for both times to be pegged back making the score 4-4. William B scored a brace for Holmewood taking both goals very well. Going into the last few minutes Holmewood pushed for a winner and that eventually came through Orlando sliding in at the back post. The boys held on to this lead brilliantly well with the score finishing 5-4. A special mention to Bastie J who had an outstanding game in goal.
U10B vs Saint Ronan’s School
The Under 10B team played their best football of the season in beating St Ronan’s 7-1. Their counterattacking play was particularly impressive with much more passing than had been seen in previous matches. Player of the match was George, who in defence, constantly thwarted the opposition with some excellent tackling and interceptions.
U10C vs Saint Ronan’s School
The team went to St Ronan’s hoping to maintain a 100% record. They started really well and two early goals from Noah and Will gave them confidence. This season the team has improved its passing and movement off the ball which allowed them to score three further goals only conceding one in reply. Noah scored three goals, Will got one and Finn scored the fifth to make the final score 5-1 and the road to an undefeated season. Special mention must go to Fraser who was resolute in defence until the end and has formed a formidable partnership with Will. Everyone knows you can’t win a game without defending – well done to everybody.
U9A v St Michael’s Otford
U9B vs St Michael’s Prep School
The U9B team traveled to St Michael’s for a hard-fought match against a talented side, cheered on by a large crowd of supporters. The game was an intense, end-to-end battle, with both teams enjoying plenty of possession and chances. By halftime, it was still 0-0, though the momentum seemed to be shifting in St Michael’s favour. In the second half, St Michael’s earned two penalties, which Max bravely faced. He saved the first with an impressive dive, but unfortunately, the second slipped past him early in the half, putting us one goal behind. Despite the setback, the boys didn’t let their heads drop. Emilio won the ball back and linked up with Jack for several counterattacks. Although we struggled to find the net, in the final moments of the game, we managed to score a well-deserved equaliser after a brilliant counterattack. It was a tense match, but the boys showed great resilience to secure a draw against a very skilled opponent.
U9C vs St Michael’s Prep School
The U9C team controlled much of the play against St Michael’s, with strong midfield leadership from Theo, who dictated the tempo from the centre. Jackson’s well-placed restarts consistently drove the ball deep into the opposition’s half, creating numerous scoring opportunities. The boys displayed great determination and discipline throughout the match, clearly enjoying themselves on the pitch. In the second half, their relentless pressure paid off as they scored twice, breaking through the defence after exploiting gaps left by St Michael’s pushing too far forward. Theo was named Man of the Match for his excellent captaincy and tireless effort throughout the game.
U8A vs St Michael’s Prep School
The U8A team approached the game with fantastic energy and chased every ball from the first whistle. They showed good skill and scored two fantastic team goals in the first half, utilising the wings very well. Unfortunately, in the second half the opposition had a few lucky breaks in front of goal and ran away with the game, with the final result being 5-2. The teams were very evenly matched despite the scoreline, and the boys should be proud of their performance.
