Sporting Highlights of the Week

Tuesday 3rd February 

U8/9 Football vs. Moor Park & The Elms

On Tuesday, the Year 3 and 4 boys travelled slightly further afield than usual as they headed to Shropshire for a triangular set of football matches against The Downs and Moor Park School. Representing St Alban’s were Archie, Charlie, Finley, Hugo, Ivan, Mikaeel, Sam, Theo and Wilf. 

The boys opened their afternoon with a well-contested match against hosts Moor Park. Both sides created a number of promising chances, but it was St Alban’s who showed the greater composure in front of goal. Charlie proved clinical, scoring twice to secure an impressive 2-0 victory. 

The second match, against The Downs, was a tighter affair. Charlie once again found the back of the net to give St Alban’s an early lead. Despite continued pressure, The Downs managed to equalise and, as the match progressed, both teams produced further opportunities. St Alban’s battled hard in search of a winner, but were caught on the counter-attack late on, with The Downs scoring to edge the game 2-1. 

Throughout the afternoon, St Alban’s displayed strong teamwork and determination. In defence, Ivan, Hugo and Sam were consistently solid, growing in confidence as they moved the ball up the pitch. Theo and Charlie worked tirelessly at both ends of the field, while Archie impressed with confident goalkeeping in the opening match and contributed well outfield later on. Out wide, Mikaeel and Finley showed excellent composure and dribbling skill, and Wilf offered great pace and commitment in his tackling. 

Despite the cold conditions and the challenge of playing on astroturf, the boys produced two encouraging performances and gained valuable experience. They should feel proud of their efforts and teamwork across both matches. 

A special congratulations goes to Player of the Match, Charlie, for scoring all three of St Alban’s goals that afternoon – a fantastic achievement! 

U9/8 Football v The Downs and Moor Park 

The U8/9s enjoyed a strong triangular festival against Moor Park and The Downs, producing an excellent afternoon of football and winning both matches. Rory and Milan were solid in goal, each making important saves to keep the team confident. Xander and Ben were dependable at the back, reading the game well and stopping most attacks. In midfield, Geoffrey, Archie, and James worked tirelessly, linking play and driving the team forward throughout. Gabe was a standout in attack, using his strength and close control to beat defenders and finishing a couple of chances with real composure. A great team effort all round. 

U9/8 Netball v The Downs 

The U9/U8 A and B teams enjoyed a wonderful afternoon of netball against The Downs Malvern, playing energetic 5‑a‑side matches across two balanced teams. The opposition proved very evenly matched, which allowed the girls to showcase skills we have been practising in training, particularly moving strongly towards the ball and jumping confidently for rebounds. Leen impressed with her excellent shooting action, scoring numerous goals, while Tiegan delivered an outstanding performance through the mid‑court, linking play beautifully. 

We followed Bee Netball rotations throughout the afternoon, giving every girl the opportunity to experience four different positions and develop a broader understanding of the game. A big thank you to Monika for providing another delicious match tea, which the girls thoroughly enjoyed after their efforts. 

Congratulations to Tiegan and Nell, who were deservedly awarded Opposition Players of the Match. We now look forward to hosting our 4‑a‑side festival next week. 

Wednesday 4th February 

U11/10 Football v HCS 

The King’s St Alban’s team put in a strong all-round performance on Wednesday afternoon, producing some excellent football to secure a deserved 4–2 win against Hereford Cathedral. 

The game didn’t start entirely to plan, with KSA going a goal down after a long ball caught the defence out. However, their heads never dropped and the team stuck to the plan, continuing to move the ball well and build patiently. The equaliser came through a moment of individual brilliance from Max, who went on a superb solo run, beating several players before calmly slotting the ball home to make it 1–1. At the back, Thea and Adam were outstanding throughout. Their pace, strength, and organisation gave the team a solid platform, and they communicated well to keep things tight defensively. Behind them, Hugo was solid as ever, making a number of important saves and keeping KSA firmly in the game. Up front, Zack had a tough task leading the line on his own but worked tirelessly, closing defenders down and constantly trying to get across the front of his marker. 

KSA took the lead with a well-worked team goal, finished confidently by Ben to make it 2–1. Momentum stayed with King’s, and after some excellent skill in the attacking third, a penalty was won. Ben stepped up and despite slipping, managed to squeeze the ball past the keeper to extend the lead to 3–1. A late goal from Hereford Cathedral made the closing stages nervy, but the team showed great resilience. On the counterattack, Jack C broke forward, showed excellent skill, and finished brilliantly to seal the result at 4–2. 

Overall, it was a great team performance, full of character, quality football, and hard work from start to finish. 

POTM – Max G 

U11/10 Football v HCS 

The Year 5 and 6 boys put in a determined and energetic performance against a strong Hereford Cathedral School side. From the first whistle, the team showed real commitment, pressing hard, working for each other and battling across the pitch. 

Haadi was outstanding in goal, making several excellent saves that kept the team in the game and showed brilliant bravery and reflexes. In front of him, Monty and Eli formed a solid defensive partnership, reading the game well, blocking shots and clearing danger with confidence. 

Going forward, Theo was a constant threat. His driving runs, clever movement and ability to carry the ball into dangerous areas caused real problems for the opposition. Dylan put in a strong, physical display in midfield, regularly winning possession back and helping transition the team into attack. 

Up front, Pip worked tirelessly, linking up well with Theo and creating chances. The pair were unlucky not to find the back of the net despite their positive forward play. 

As the game went on, Hereford were able to rotate fresh legs from the bench, and this eventually made the difference. Despite our best efforts, the opposition took advantage of their substitutions and won the game. 

Overall, this was a performance full of teamwork and resilience. The boys should feel proud of their efforts. 

POTM- Dylan 

U11/10 Football v HCS 

The U10/11 team put in a spirited performance against Hereford Cathedral School, showing plenty of determination and teamwork throughout the match. 

Daniel started in goal and was outstanding in the first third, making a number of excellent saves to keep the game level. The lads backed him up with relentless pressing all over the pitch, refusing to give Hereford time on the ball. At the back, Jack James led by example, putting in some strong, well-timed tackles to help ensure the first third ended 0–0. 

The second third saw the opposition begin to find some momentum. With tired legs starting to show, the team conceded three goals, but heads never dropped. Despite the pressure, the boys continued to work hard for one another and stayed positive. 

In the final third, the team showed real character. Strong driving runs from Bertie and Jacob helped push the ball higher up the pitch and into Hereford’s half, giving the team some much needed attacking opportunities. Max took his turn in goal and was superb, making several brave saves and heroically putting his body on the line to deny the opposition. 

Overall, it was a performance full of effort, resilience, and encouragement, with plenty of positives to take forward into the next fixture. 

U11/10 Football v HCS 

Five Year 5 pupils took part in what proved to be an epic football encounter on Wednesday afternoon, as St. Alban’s faced Hereford Cathedral School at KSW’s Cinderella Ground. With Daniel required in goal for another St. Alban’s team, the reduced squad of Harvey, Henry, George, Max M, and Rudy knew they would need to dig deep if they were to overcome their opponents. 

Hereford Cathedral won the toss and elected to kick off, but St. Alban’s wasted no time in making a statement. Straight from the first play, an eager and alert Harvey chased down the ball, dribbled purposefully up the pitch and fired home to give St. Alban’s an immediate 1-0 lead. The momentum continued as George, in his standout performance of the term, added two superb goals to extend the advantage to 3-0. Hereford Cathedral managed to claw one back before the break, leaving St. Alban’s 3-1 up at half-time. 

The second half demanded intense effort from the St. Alban’s side, who were still playing a man down. Despite several excellent saves and confident clearance kicks from Henry, fatigue inevitably began to show. Hereford Cathedral capitalised with a flurry of quick goals, turning the scoreline on its head and putting St. Alban’s 3-4 behind with only five minutes remaining. 

After a brief but focused team talk – and with welcome reinforcement from Jack J – the boys rallied with impressive determination. Their renewed energy and teamwork paid off when they worked the ball forward to George, who showed great composure to slot home his third goal of the afternoon. His first KSA hat-trick secured a well-deserved 4-4 draw and brought the match to a thrilling conclusion. 

Although the boys may rightly feel unlucky not to have won the match, their resilience, teamwork, and sheer effort were outstanding throughout. Rudy deserves a special mention for his increased involvement and willingness to get stuck in, while Harvey, George, and Max performed admirably from start to finish. 

A huge well done to all the boys for a performance they can be truly proud of, and thank you very much to all of the parents who came along to support – your encouragement is, as always, greatly appreciated! 

U11/10 Netball A v HCS 

U11A Netball vs Hereford Cathedral School 

The U11A team travelled to the Point4 Leisure Centre for their indoor fixture against Hereford Cathedral School. With the IAPS tournament fast approaching, this match was a valuable opportunity to rotate positions and experiment with different combinations on court. The girls adapted well to the changes and showed great versatility throughout the game. 

Hannah was superb at GS, barely missing a shot and providing consistent accuracy under pressure. In defence, Romi was outstanding, making several crucial turnovers that kept us competitive during key moments. Our mid‑court duo of Elizabeth and Nell worked tirelessly, moving the ball smoothly up the court and linking play effectively between ends. 

Although there were moments of excellent flow, we recognised the need to tidy up our footwork and sharpen some of our passing decisions. Once these areas are refined, this squad will develop into a confident and cohesive little team. 

Congratulations to Romi, who was awarded Defender of the Match, and to Martha, who earned Attacker of the Match for her movement and determination in the circle. Despite a strong effort, Hereford proved too powerful on the day, and the match finished in a 15–7 loss. 

U11/10 Netball B v HCS 

On Wednesday the U10 Netball team put in a fantastic performance against Hereford Cathedral School, showing great teamwork, determination, and growing confidence across the court. From the first whistle, the players worked hard to move the ball quickly, support one another, and apply consistent pressure in both attack and defence. 

A special mention goes to Aria G, who showed excellent defensive work that stood out throughout the match. She read the game well, made some crucial interceptions, and did a brilliant job bringing the ball down the court to create attacking opportunities for her teammates. Lillianna W also deserves high praise for a superb all round performance, confidently playing in a variety of positions and showcasing both strong defensive skills and sharp attacking play whenever she was on court. 

Overall, it was a really positive team performance, with all players giving their best and continuing to develop their skills. Well done to everyone involved on a great match. 

U11/10 Netball v HCS 

King’s St Alban’s U10 C enjoyed a long, song-filled journey to Hereford. On court, they tried out different positions, practised taking sidelines, honed their stick-stop footwork, and worked on getting back on side quickly for the next centre pass. The goalposts, a foot taller than usual, gave them an early taste of full-height posts. The girls showed real improvement in their marking and passing and continued to build their skills throughout the afternoon.