Fantastic Footie!
It was all down to penalties
Looking tired but jubilant in victory, the St Gabriel’s 5-a-side football squad celebrate their success in the Schools’ Year 11 tournament. A strong line-up saw teams from Park House, St. Bart's, The Clere, John O'Gaunt, Trinity, Kennet and St. Gabriel's battling it out for local supremacy last Thursday with two groups of four teams and the winner of each group going to the final, contested by Park House 'B' and St. Gabriel's. The latter entered the competition for the first time this year as the school continues to increase the range of sports available to girls. Park House took the lead and St. Gabriel's were unable to break through a solid defence until the final minute. Extra time saw the teams still neck and neck, with Alice and Bianca from St Gabriel’s in defence allowing nothing to pass them, and so the final went to penalties. Park House went first and blasted their way into a 1-0 lead. St. Gabriel's missed. Park House missed their second penalty. St. Gabriel's scored their second through Laura. 1-1. Park House missed their third and fourth penalties, leaving Emma of St. Gabriel's to score what turned out to be the winning goal as Park House's final penalty was brilliantly saved by the St. Gabriel's keeper, Louisa. Mr. M. Ives, the coach of St. Gabriel's, said that this was 'The proudest moment of 30 years of playing and following football.' Joint captains Alex and Georgia were virtually speechless - a rare thing indeed - but Alex added that she had 'Never been so nervous as she was when watching the penalties.'
