The after-effects of Storm Goretti left the first football weekend of the new year in tatters, due to frozen pitches from the earlier snowfall. Only 6 GNP fixtures escaped this (all played on 3G surfaces), with all the action summarised below!

SATURDAY – GIRLS

The Under 9 Panthers kicked off 2026 at home against Lillington Wildcats, delivering a fantastic performance despite the chilly conditions. From the opening whistle, Panthers set the tone, applying constant pressure with excellent teamwork, sharp passing, and strong positioning across the pitch. After the break, they picked up exactly where they left off, continuing to press high and move the ball confidently as a unit. The team showed great commitment throughout, with superb tracking back and defensive effort. The performance was topped off with some lovely assists and well-taken goals, shared between five different Panthers players — a real team effort from start to finish!

SATURDAY – BOYS

It was an exciting start to the year with a GNP Under 7 derby between the Tigers and Lions. A momentous occasion, representing two GNP teams both in the top tier of the age group following the Lions earning promotion via strong performances between Sep & Dec. It was a fast start from the Tigers and an early goal came from a cross from Tobias on the right to David in the box. The second goal was from Marsels who ran down the left, beat a defender and got the shot. The Lions took a little bit of time to settle into the game but kept pushing and kept their heads up. Three more goals came from the Tigers: a calm pass from Cameron to Tobias who successfully went for the long shot; and David and Marsels’ consistent pressure and energy got them a goal each. The Lions did not give up and it paid off with a brilliant goal from Gian. The second quarter the Lions started to really gel together and there was some great pressure which the Tigers had to respond to. The Lions goalkeeper Aarav made some excellent saves which kept the Lions fighting. The Tigers however were finding space and making some brilliant passes. The one goal of the quarter came from Tobias’ exceptional free kick from the half way line. The Lions benefitted from a couple of extra players through Power Play for the third quarter. It was an exciting quarter to watch from both teams. David got a couple of goals for the Tigers with the help of a pass from Joban in defence and a kick-in from Marsels. In the fourth quarter Joban got a very early goal which was the final one for the Tigers. The Lions pushed hard to the end and Aarav got a second goal to reward their efforts. A great game, and great to see the boys all together smiling for a photo (above) at the end. Player of the match went to Joban with fantastic ball control, game awareness, and strength. A special mention to David (from the referee), who continued his consistent performances with another good display.

GNP Tigers Under 8s vs Rugby Borough Pumas. The Tigers started the new season against their old nemesis, the Pumas, a very strong and well organised team who showed their intentions from the start with two quick goals from GNP kick offs as the Tigers struggled to get going. As the game progressed the boys blew away some of the cobwebs and put up a good challenge to the point where the third quarter was a draw and it looked like they might have turned a corner. But unfortunately, they couldn't maintain the intensity and narrow the gap in the final period. This was a huge challenge for the boys; playing their toughest opponents after 3 weeks off, fixture delays limiting the warm-up and the team only having 5 players available trying to keep up with a team that rotated every couple of minutes to keep the legs fresh, so it was always going to be a big ask. The lads kept their heads up and pushed to the final whistle and can be proud of their effort and attitude, I know the coaches are! Rhys kept his scoring run going, Akram and Rayan provided assists, Petru ran himself into the ground and Lucas and Rhys both made some wonderful saves. This is going to be a tougher season but we know what the boys are capable of and that the results will come, Go Tigers!

SUNDAY – BOYS

GNP Under 12 Lions were away to FC Maine, on their 3G pitch in this Division A clash. The Lions were dominant from the very first whistle, playing most of the game in the FC Maine half. The Lions pressure paid off, midway through the first half, when the ball broke to Evan on the edge of the area, and he fired in a thunderbolt into the bottom corner. The Lions went 2-0 up, after Alfie took a superb touch in the area, to bring the ball under his control and slotted past the keeper. The 2nd half was much of the same, FC Maine got a goal back with about 10 minutes left, to make the end of the game a bit more nervous than it should be. But a few minutes later, the Lions put the game to bed with their 3rd goal, after a brilliantly taken volley from Sehaj! A pleasing start to the new year, the whole team did tremendously well on a very cold and windy morning. Man of the match went to Veeran, for marshalling the back line very well and not giving FC Maine a sniff for the majority of the game.

GNP Under 12 Pumas v Racing Club Warwick Gold. Cold conditions didn't dampen the Pumas' spirits as they took on Racing Club Warwick in a 2nd round League Cup clash. Pumas started strong, with Lekan scoring a cracking goal, beating the keeper in a one-on-one. The Pumas had great possession, but Warwick snatched two goals, taking the lead. Kian's clever reaction to a corner led to the Pumas' second goal, lobbing the keeper leaving it 2-2 at half time. The second half was a goal-fest, with both teams pushing hard Warwick edged ahead 3-2, but Lekan equalised with a beauty, striking the ball sweetly past the keeper. Warwick then got a fourth to take the lead. Despite their best efforts, the Pumas conceded a further three quick goals, and the game slipped away. It was a shame, as they'd played with great determination against a tier 2 team. Still, it was a thrilling match to watch, and the Pumas' spirit was impressive!

Under 10 Tigers hosted Racing Club Warwick Black. A competitive start by both teams and evenly matched. The Tigers however kept pressing further into the opposition’s half. A brilliant pass by Player of the Match, Felix, to Rajan down the left wing created an opening for a pass to Sahib who struck within the penalty box for the Tigers to take the lead. Felix was also instrumental in a couple of early clearances and showcased maturity beyond his years with some clever play. It remained evenly matched as we headed into the 2nd half. Arveer continue to dominate the middle of the pitch with some great interceptions trying to control the pace of the game. Arveer linked up well with Tyrae with several link up plays and Tyrae himself had a good game on the right wing. On the break a brilliant pass by Patryk allowed Sahib to slot another home. The Tigers with 10 minutes left however then tried to see the game out but the opposition kept pressing. Veer, as the stand in keeper, looked safe with a some great saves as the Tigers invited pressure. Adam battled hard with his effort to keep his teammates engaged. Opposition managed to claw one back as the Tigers didn’t close them down. This led to a tense last 5 minutes however they saw it out with a great victory to begin the new season with.