Old Boys and Australians! Saturday October 10th

Date: Thursday 8 October 2009

While most of the staff were recovering from the rigours of Open Day, and most of the pupils making their way home after their massive contributions to the success of that Open Day, footballers, and coaching staff continued with their normal Saturday afternoon programme of matches, and post-match entertainment.

The Seconds played their annual fixture against the 'older' Old Boys, a side built around Kevin Hopper, and featuring many names from the last twenty years - or more - with Shaun Barrett the senior member, and David Finch the most recent of the leavers. The game ended in an honourable 2 - 2 draw: after a goalless first half, the School scored twice through Tom Wylie and Lewis Piper; the Old Boys replied through Paul Walker, and Steve Rumbelow, who netted a late equaliser.

The Firsts were hosting our visitors from Sydney, Australia, and the boys from St Paul's School, Manly, who played good constructive football going forward, could not keep out a forward line in predatory mood in the first half. Attwood, the hat-trick man from Thursday added another brace to his tally for the season, and Sekiguchi opened his account for the 1st XI. Chances were spurned in the second period as Attwood strove in vain for a third, and substitutions did not help the overall fluency of the side. Super sub Keliris drove in the fourth, while the Aussies scored a well-deserved consolation goal towards the end.

So, the 1sts' record as we go in to the half-term break is an impressive one: four wins, one draw, and just a single defeat in inter-school matches - 13 points out of 18, championship form? Robert Robinson is quietly smiling to himself, but with six matches to go after the break, he knows that there is still a lot of football to be played before he can be satisfied with his term's work. So far, so very good!