Season Review: U12B Football
By Harry Morris
Hampton’s U12B team had an impressive season winning ten matches out of 17, drawing two and losing five. The goal difference was only fifteen, with Hampton scoring a mammoth 58, but conceding 43. The team was strong throughout, with only a slight dip in form in January, but with lots of highs along the way.
The season started well for Hampton with dominant displays and four victories out of the first four matches, with three clean sheets while scoring fourteen goals. The attack was flowing nicely, and the defence was proving strong. An early season thriller occurred against St Thomas’s, where after gaining an impressive 5-1 lead, Hampton nearly threw it all away in the last fifteen minutes, with St Thomas’s relentless attacks causing Hampton to concede three quick goals and were unlucky not to get a fourth! However, the Bs remained valiant and hung on to see out another victory, even if it should have been won a bit more comfortably.
Unfortunately, the U12Bs’ ESFA campaign never really got going, as though they got a bye in the first round, they were dominated (for the first time all season) by Three Rivers Academy who won 5-3. Bizarrely, this didn’t knock Hampton out of the competition, as it turned out that Three Rivers had accidentally put out an A team in a B team tournament. Hampton therefore travelled to Grey Court School, who after a close game, scored two goals in extra time, which was probably the lowest point in Hampton’s season.
The U12Bs bounced back after Christmas, with a highlight being a match against KCS, one of Hampton’s hardest opponents of the year. Hampton started off well and when the half-time whistle blew, they found themselves 3-1 up. However, KCS scored early in the second half before dominating the next 25 minutes, but Hampton’s valiant (and chaotic!) defending held out, with some fantastic saves by keeper Charles Brain.
They then entered a 13-goal thriller against Dulwich, with Thomas Petrou scoring a screamer from the halfway line not enough in a 6-7 loss.
The Bs then had a poor run of form against Wilson’s and Dulwich Prep, which Hampton lost 6-1 and 1-0 respectively.
The end of the season for Hampton saw the team playing by far their best football of the season against some strong teams, with Hampton having an unbeaten February and March. We finished the season off on a high, with a dominant 3-1 win over Reading Blue Coat School.
The attack scored 58 goals with Jasper Townley having a great season scoring the most goals, followed by Finn Timba and then William Potter, with other goal scorers including: Robert Wigglesworth, Oscar Connell, Mika Rahman, Yule Choi, Noah Mearza, Wyatt Musil, Josh Don Carolis, and Petrou.
The midfield proved to be an attacking threat, with assists and goals coming from Mika Rahman, William Potter, and Wyatt Musil.
The defence of Noah Parry, Harry Morris, Don Carolis, Noah Mearza and Thomas Petrou was hard to break down throughout the year and showed real maturity when it was needed.
Throughout the year, the ‘keepers Ollie Scrimshaw and Charles Brain kept Hampton in the game many times, including Scrimshaw’s fantastic saves and assists against Ravenswood School.
Overall, Hampton U12Bs had a great season, which they will be proud of. Hopefully, as they face a new challenge next year (turning to 11-a-side) they will build on their debut season, getting more wins and progressing further in their ESFA campaign, maybe even winning it! This team clearly has a bright Hampton future ahead of them!
