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Historic Summer

Crosspool Juniors Girls U12s (2008/9) have won a historic 6 tournaments this summer. They also finished runners up in two other tournaments. The girls won the tournaments at Wickersley, Maltby, Shipley, Darfield, Brampton and the FA National Futsal Finals at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield. They were runners up at Brinsworth and Prestatyn.

Winning the FA National Futsal finals was undoubtedly the highlight of the summer and for many of the girls a moment they will treasure for the rest of their lives. 12 teams reached the U12s girls finals and they travelled from around the country to participate. Having won the group comfortably they almost messed it up by drawing 0-0 in the semi final, having dominated the game but been unable to score. The team have however been in a number of penalty shoot outs this summer and remained confident. They won the shoot out and progressed to the final in front of a large crowd at the EIS. The team played exceptionally well and won the final 1-0.

FA National Youth Futsal Festival Round Up

12:53 PM, Tuesday, 30 June 09. FA Futsal Youth Festival

Nearly 80 junior Futsal teams were in Sheffield over the weekend for The FA National Youth Futsal Festival, which was a resounding success with some excellent Futsal being played in the full spirit of the game.
The FA National Youth Futsal Festival
Saturday 27 June and Sunday 28 June 2009
English Institute Of Sport, Sheffield

Teams from all over the country were at the English Institute Of Sport on both Saturday and Sunday for the Festival, with competitions for both boys and girls in the U10s, U12s, U14s and U16s age groups.

Double success was achieved from the Sheffield & Hallamshire FA region, with Barnsley Ladies taking the U10s Girls title, followed by Crosspool Juniors winning the U12s Girls.

The FA National Youth Futsal Festival was established to provide an event that could inspire young people to take-up and play Futsal on a regular-basis, the aims and intentions of the Festival are to not just provide a one-off Futsal event that young people enjoy and then forget, but to provide a goal to encourage schools, clubs and young people to play Futsal throughout the year with the climax being the opportunity to attend the National Futsal Festival.

Saturday saw the U10s and U12s in action, with the group fixtures starting just after 10.30am. With ten teams in each competition, the sides were separated into two groups of five with the top two from each group then meeting in a semi-final.

As can be expected, it was close in many cases, with penalties required in two of Saturday’s eight semi-final games, but the first winners at this year’s Festival were Westella & Willerby JFC who lifted the boys' U10 title with a 2-0 victory over KC Barsa, whilst Barnsley Ladies took the girls' U10 honours with a 4-1 win against Llanmynech Lemurs.

They were followed closely afterwards by Priory Sports College who beat Greenacre School by a single goal in the U12 boys Final before the U12 girls showpiece rounded off Saturday’s action with a win for Crosspool Juniors against South Cave JFC.

On Sunday, it was the turn of the U14 and U16 teams to do battle and these groups proved just as competitive with both the U14s girls and U16s boys Finals being settled by penalties.

A thrilling encounter in the U14 boys Final saw Canon Palmer Catholic School beat Benjamin Britten High School by 3-2.

There wasn’t quite as much goal action in the U14 girls Final though, where it finished 0-0 between Conyers School and Ashmole School , but it was Conyers who emerged victorious thanks to a 3-2 win on penalties.

At U16 level, Brentford FC Community Sports Trust and Oakengates shared a 1-1 draw in the boys final, with Oakengates running out 4-3 winners after kicks from the penalty spot in that one.

In the U16 girls Final, it was Lea Valley who were winners courtesy of a single goal victory over AFC Preston to round off the competition.

Whilst there could only be eight winners of each group, all 75 teams who attended contributed to an excellent two days of Futsal.

Later that week, the same venue hosted some of the best Futsal teams in the country, as the Finals of The FA Futsal Cup took place at the Institute.

u 13 vs Abbey Lane

It was a beautiful morning and the prospect of a trip to Abbey Lane didn't spoil it. They have a lovely flat pitch, slightly narrow (there's about a yard between the edge of the box and the sideline) with no parking. They topped their division last year and so we weren't expecting it to be easy, and it wasn't. Both teams were keen from the whistle, with some great passing play from the Crosspool girls. AL scored first with a overhead ball which sliced the defense open and they took full advantage of the break. Crosspool equalised through a screamer from Lucy, a full on kick from way out on the lefthand side, into the top right corner, a fabulous goal. Play was clean and skilful on both sides, Crosspool having more of the possession and more chances on goal, with AL making snappy breaks through the middle. Tal was tireless on the wing, going infor, and winning some crunching tackles, 'the bigger they are the harder they fall' seems to be her motto,Cari, Eleanor, Leonie and Ellie were working hard to clear their lines and keep the ball down the other half. On the next attack, Kate bounced the ball of the back of one of their players to take Xpool into the lead, only for AL to equalise with another swift goal, ref judged the player to have been played onside, I'm not sure. Alaya had a good game, working hard in mid-field, supporting the forwards and yet not afraid to go up herself, she used her speed to pass the defense and then was aware of others on her team and passed the ball onwards effectively. Tyler took the ball up to the goal several times, through several waves of defensive players but was unable to convert today. Rebecca and Yas worked well together in the box to scored from the right and AL equalised again. Lucy scored her second goal in similar style to take Crosspool ahead. She had really found her form and had 4 more shots which the keeper would not have saved, but they went agonisingly wide. Hannah was quick to get the ball out of her area, responding to shouts from her team, or screams from RM !!! Finishing score line 4-3.

A good team effort again this week, well done everyone.

u13s get off to a rip roaring start

An impressive start to the season by the u13 girls, 9-0 against Worksop town. The Crosspool girls were on form, pushed forward from the whistle and dominated the play for the whole match. 10 minutes in the WT girls were getting a tad frustrated and a defender brought the ball down with her arm in the box. Lucy stepped up to the spot and slotted it away. You might say we gained a psychological advantage from that first goal, but I don’t think it really made a difference, the writing was on the wall already. Rebecca Miles took a beautiful last touch on the right side of goal to finish a run of passes starting at the mid-field. There were several other shots on goal saved by their keeper, and a few off-target ones ! Cari, Hannah(in goal), Eleanor and Leonie were not troubled too often, attacks were broken up, pushed off the sideline or the ball tackled away. Ellie had an ongoing tussle with a WT player, both were determined on the ball and it escalated to full-on barging, both giving as good as they got. Ellie side-lined many WT attacks with her shoulders.
The second half started with a 6 touch, 10 second goal, the first of Tyler’s hat-trick, embarrassingly easy; excellent football; great result. There were goals from Yas, Lucy, Tyler, then another penalty, handball in the area again, Hannah came out of goal to score that one, then there was another one from Tyler, and one from Yas. I seem to have missed a goalscorer, sorry, you’ll have to mail me and tell me who it was !
I think the keen start is due to the flurry of friendlies they played at the end of the summer and the fitness training they have obviously been doing. Keep it up Crosspool girls.

Crosspool u10s versus Manchester City