Courtesy: Grantham Journal


Barrowby Magpies end year flying high

Barrowby Magpies U12 played some festive Futsal in an annual tournament held at Newark Sports Centre.

Futsal is a fast paced variant of football, played on a smaller court indoors using a heavier ball. Futsal demands a high level of technical skill and ability in situations of high pressure, encouraging creative play.

The Magpies train weekly at Futsal so this competition was right up their street, having previously won in 2014.

The tournament format saw each team playing 10 six minute games. With quick-fire games players needed to be switched on and have an element of good fortune.

The Magpies put in an excellent first match performance, with the Warriors opposition keeper forced into an early double save, shots raining in from French and Polzin, the latter firing against the post. However, the result was not to be and Warriors took their chance well to win the game 1-0.

The next two games saw the Magpies find their stride with two 2-0 wins and four goals from a determined Lockton, one a rebound from a Pilkington shot and a precise curling finish to the top corner.

Just as Barrowby were in full flow, they dropped two further points. It wasn’t for the want of trying, dominating the game, with many shots saved and some stubborn defending. Jacklin bombed forward into space and hit the woodwork as the game ended 0-0.

With opposition teams winning well, Barrowby Magpies couldn’t afford to drop further points. In game five, an energetic Pilkington found the net himself, and Polzin scored with an audacious lob from the halfway line.

And in a key rematch against the Warriors U12 ‘reds’, Barrowby continued to turn the screw, securing a convincing victory, this time with a Polzin left foot strike.

Magpies were now flying high and playing with confidence. French scored his first goals of the tournament, adding seven in total, with further goals apiece from Polzin and Wade. Wade really grew as the tournament progressed, showing quick and neat footwork with good vision.

Barrowby finished the tournament in supreme style and played some fantastic quick passing Futsal, including an acrobatic overhead goal by French, a solo knock-on trick by Lockton to beat his man, and some devastating team play right through the side.

A disciplined Jacklin was a rock in defence and Temple-Fielder conceded a mere three goals all tournament, and not short of skills himself, played a cheeky back heel pass out from goal. Temple-Fielder then made a fine one-handed save down to his right and chose short options when other keepers were lobbing long throws.

With just one loss, a draw and a goal tally of 16, an impressive Magpies were crowned tournament winners of an excellent competitive event, played and supported in the right spirit.



Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com