⚽ Year 4 Southern Area Football Finals – A Day of Determination, Skill and Brilliant Team Spirit! ⚽

On Tuesday 17th March, our Year 4 football team took part in the Southern Area Football Finals—an incredible achievement in itself! After winning a previous tournament at our local secondary school, we became 1 of only 10 schools to qualify… out of 57 schools in total! What an astonishing accomplishment before the finals had even begun!

🚌 The Journey Begins

The excitement started early as the team were collected from school ahead of schedule to make it to the 3:15pm kick‑off. 

When they arrived, there was no messing about. The warm‑up was serious business and filled with proper football technical vocabulary in action:

• Two‑touch rondo to sharpen control and passing accuracy
• Shooting practice to get their finishing on point
• Attackers vs defenders drills to sharpen transition play

From the very beginning, it was clear: Year 4 meant business.

🏆 The Tournament Kicks Off!

Game 1 – A Close Contest

Our first match was tight from the first whistle. Both teams battled for possession and created chances. We narrowly lost 1–0, but it was the kind of game that truly could have gone either way.

Game 2 – Holding the Line

Next, we faced a very strong side. Our defence was outstanding—organised, resilient and full of brilliant interceptions and tackles. Despite this, we fell to another close defeat, 2–0, but the effort was superb.

Game 3 – Going on the Offensive

In our third game, we switched tactics and adopted a more attacking formation, pushing players higher up the pitch. Although this created some exciting chances, we were unfortunately caught on the counterattack twice, ending in another 2–0 loss. Still, the ambition was fantastic to see.

🌟 Progress and Positivity

Despite the results, the team’s attitude was exceptional. They listened carefully to feedback, adapted their play, and developed their teamwork with every single match. Their positional awareness, pressing, and passing sequences improved brilliantly over the tournament.

Game 4 – A Goal to Celebrate! 🎉

In their final group match, the team produced a beautifully worked goal—full of clever movement, accurate passing, and a confident finish. Although the opposition equalised, earning a 1–1 draw, the highlight was the way our players combined as a team with real flair.

🥅 Final Play-off Match – Finishing in Style!

There was one final match to play—a chance to end the day on a high.

And Year 4 grabbed that opportunity with both hands.

From kick‑off to final whistle, they completely dominated:

• Brilliant ball retention
• Strong defensive shape
• Creative attacking build-up
• Determined pressing to win the ball back

Their hard work paid off with a winning goal—securing a 1–0 victory and sending the team home beaming with pride.

🎉 A Fantastic Achievement

The Year 4 team represented the school with:

• Skill
• Resilience
• Honesty and fairness
• Brilliant sportsmanship
• A genuine love for the game

Qualifying for this tournament was already impressive, but the team’s effort, attitude and development through each match made the day truly special.

Well done, Year 4—you made us incredibly proud!

Yours in sport,

Mr J Etherington (PE Lead)