Aluredian
79
A
fter pre-season in the last
week of the Michaelmas term
was washed out and frozen
off, the football proper started
with the senior football tour
to Valencia. Despite taking
the dreaded school flu with us, the players
trained hard and put in promising performances
against local opposition, with a win followed by
a creditable defeat to a local academy side.
The Lent term started at Wycliffe College,
where a tight game with few chances was
decided by the cruel bounce of the ball, leaving
the hosts 1-0 victors. The following week,
another long coach trip to Monmouth in the
Mercian League proved challenging, but
despite the defeat, the commitment of the
players was outstanding.
Our first Mercian League home fixture saw the
arrival of QEH Bristol and a well earned 2-0
win with goals from Omar Hamoui and James
Huxtable, Ross Kieswetter performing
particularly well in goal. Our friendly fixture
away at Sherborne saw the game decided by
Sherborne long-range wonder strikes in each
half in what was the best King's performance
thus far against strong opposition.
Next arrived Bristol Grammar School, and in a
very competitive game, a calmly taken secondhalf
goal from Archie Watts was the deciding
factor after Jason Gonultas had hit the crossbar
and Ross Kieswetter had saved a first-half penalty.
The arrival of Wellington in the ISCA Cup offered a
welcome distraction from the Mercian League.
The game was secured with goals from Anton
Burkhard-Meier, Jason Gonultas and Finn
Spencer, James Huxtable hitting the crossbar.
Another ISCA fixture saw King's away at
Blundell's, and early pressure boded well for us
to continue our winning run. In a rare attack,
Blundell's took the lead, before an Olly Mason
corner was turned in at the near post by an
under pressure Blundell's player. King's
pressed again, but fell to a penalty decision just
before the break. Ross Kieswetter dived low to
his right to save, but only into the path of a
Blundell's player who had a simple tap-in.
The restart was much like the first half with
King's looking dangerous, but a further late
goal from Blundell's left King's unrewarded.
The final ISCA fixture with Exeter School saw
an excellent game and a fair 2-2 draw, thanks
to an Archie Watts free-kick and a Jason
Gonultas strike. Then a return to the Mercian
League and the arrival of Marlborough, for an
end-to-end game where King's netted first
through captain Joe Watts before being pegged
back to 1-1 with a penalty for the visitors. As
both sides pressed for the winner Marlborough
scored two goals in the final ten minutes to
take the game.
The visit of Malvern promised to be a
challenge, but an excellent first-half strike from
Jason Gonultas shocked the visitors who prior
to the game had not conceded a single goal.
We deserved our lead and dominated the first
half, until a minute before the break Malvern
were awarded and scored a penalty. Secondhalf
opportunities at both ends were taken well
by Malvern, whereas King's failed to take their
chances.
Local rivals and championship contenders
Clifton arrived for the last Mercian game and
fielded a very strong side. Again we showed
typical spirit and commitment with an early
goal from Alex Brown, but at the final whistle,
the visitors had taken the match, though not by
sufficient to secure the title.
Thanks to referees Mr Hickman and Mr Haste
for their contribution during the season, and of
course to Dennis Breakwell and his groundstaff.
Omar Hamaoui challenges
for the ball in the air against
the QEH Bristol defence
Football
1st XI
by Chris
Heayns