A bumper weekend of football at GNP Sports saw everything! Great Goals, Exhilarating Cup ties, Penalty shoot out drama and much more! Saturday’s fixtures in particular, saw GNP teams in great form. As the results started to roll in post match, it was clear that the club had produced an amazing day of performances!

On Sunday, both the Under 13 Tigers and Under 15 Lions progressed into the 2nd round League Cup draw with courageous victories in penalty shoot outs against Rugby Boro & Nuneaton Town respectively!

SATURDAY – GIRLS

Under 16 Panthers played away at Maypole on Saturday. The girls worked really hard on a big pitch and no subs. A hat trick from Mekenna, 2 goals from Lara and a goal from Kia gave them a well earned 6-1 win on the road. Great start to their season!

U15 Panthers hosted CCCs at Finham. The girls were excellent from start to finish. The girls battled really well against a physical and aggressive team, some great football and consistent pressure led to a great first time finish from a corner from Anayah. The pressure continued and relentless closing down, led by our newest team member Praise (who was fantastic all game) led to a 2nd goal. 2nd half was more relaxed for the girls who were always in control of the game, many more chances were created and the girls were rewarded by a composed finish from Mankirat. A huge improvement from the girls and great reaction from our loss last week, and to top it off we managed a clean sheet too. Final score GNP 3 - 0 CCC.

Under 13 Panthers hosted Balsall & Berkswell Hornets in their season opener. GNP created lots of chances today and by the time the opposition scored we should have been out of sight. Avani was unlucky to hit the cross bar, Becky was denied in a 1v1, plenty of crosses into the box which just needed a touch. Divjot and Kaleesha did make the breakthroughs, scoring our first goals of the season before Hornets got one back. It was great to seen both Ziya and Orlaith making their league debuts. Well done to the girls on a hard-fought victory.

The Under 12 Panthers travelled to Kingshurst this week and put in an incredible shift to come away with a victory. The Panthers started brightly with some good possession in the attacking third, Avani leading a high press and Roop running in behind to cause the opposition problems with Elizabeth and Excel supporting on the wings. In a close first half our defence of Aish, Jodh and Rhea kept things tight whilst Freya and then Elizabeth stood in as goalkeeper for this game. Lily and Khloe were solid in midfield and the Panthers ended the half 0-0. After Half time the girls continued to work hard against a team who were able to make multiple changes and bring on fresh legs. The girls dug deep, continued to move the ball and were rewarded when Lily played a fantastic ball through to Rhea who slotted it into the bottom corner. Not long after, Lily then whipped in a dangerous corner and the Panthers got their second! With five minutes to go the opposition managed to pull one back but the girls held on to get the 3 points today. Special mention to Freya and Excel who made their first ever starts today. Parents’ player went to Jodh who was strong and composed in possession throughout. Coach’s player went to Lily for showing great resilience as well as quality on the ball. Go Panthers!

The Under 9 Panthers had a fantastic start to the season on their league debut at home to Coventry Saracens! Poppy opened the scoring with a long-range free kick finding the top corner, quickly followed by her second from an impossible angle. Some nice team play led to two goals from Leena, who demonstrated fantastic ball control with both feet. A piece of individual brilliance from Asees with a great dribbling run put the game out of reach. Georgia then opened her account with a goal underlining the team's resilience. Despite being in goal for the last 10 minutes, Poppy was not to be denied her hat-trick, finding the back of the net with a spectacular goal kick! Solid performances across the pitch from Hargun, Amiyah, and Jasmine capped off a brilliant, professional team effort.

GNP Warriors U10 travelled to face Starz in their first away game of the season. Millie made her debut in goal and put in a fantastic performance, making some great saves in a competitive first half. There was some good passing football from the Warriors, with Siya finishing off a brilliant team move for a well-deserved goal. Abi stepped up to go in goal in the second half and also made some important saves. Although the game ended in a defeat, there was a lot to be proud of in our first game of the season.

SATURDAY – BOYS

Under 7 Lions’ pick and mix teams found sweet success against Warwick Juniors. While the Lion’s mercurial talisman was away, the strength and depth of the squad was showcased by a series of entertaining small-sided games (3v3s, 3v2 and 2v2). Players displayed their creativity, emerging interplay when in attack, and tenacity whilst defending. AK, Maran, and Yahya, all opened their goalscoring accounts for the Lions. Next week, the team faces Rugby Borough in their first away fixture.

The GNP Under 8 Tigers secured a thrilling victory against Alvis Juniors in their second game of the season. Alvis Juniors took an early lead, but Uday quickly equalised with a spectacular solo run. The rest of the first half remained tied thanks to magnificent, disciplined defending from Rehmat and Lucas, while Cameron created dangerous chances from the left flank. Alvis Juniors reclaimed the lead in the second half. However, once again the Tigers fought back as Marsels scored a superb left-footed equaliser from a tight angle. With one minute left, David delivered a brilliant free-kick into the box, allowing Gian to fire home the dramatic late winner. POTM Gian, recognised for his relentless energy and physicality throughout the contest.

In their first home league match, the Under 8 Pumas battled hard to prevail against a well organised Leamington Foundation team. After leading in the 1st half, the Pumas did not let their heads drop when pegged back. More impressive than scoring the next 2 goals to win the match was how the team rallied together to defend their goal to not concede any further. Narayan took home the player of the match award with a fantastic all-round performance, impressing at both ends of the pitch. He scored 2 goals whilst playing most of the game in defence. Zoran & Roman were the other 2 goalscorers with some great finishes!

What a comeback from our Under 8 Lions! The boys took on Lawford United in their second match of the season, and it wasn’t quite the start we were hoping for, going several goals down in the first quarter. But the boys showed exactly what it means to never give up! They battled back with fantastic energy and determination, driving the ball forward, creating space, finding gaps and taking every opportunity to shoot at goal. Before we knew it, we were right back in the game and finished with an amazing high-scoring tie! Leon was on fire with an incredible 5 goals, with Giaan adding 2, plus some brilliant assists from Kritin, Shivaay and Giaan. After such a fantastic performance, it was no surprise to see Leon named Player of the Match! Most importantly, the boys showed fantastic teamwork, determination and a never-give-up attitude from start to finish. It was an exciting, action-packed game and a brilliant performance from the whole team. So proud of you, Lions — what a fantastic second game of the season! Keep roaring!

What a fantastic first game for this new-look GNP Under 9 Lions team, away at Stockton FC, with four players making their Lions debuts. The boys made a brilliant start, with Theo N & debutants Gurshaan and Shaan amongst the goals. One of the highlights was a fantastic team move started by Thomas, involving Gurshaan and finished superbly by Theo N. The 2nd half saw Theo P and Abdul make their competitive football debuts — and you wouldn't have known it! Both worked incredibly hard, with Abdul's energy rewarded with two goals and Theo P growing in confidence as the game evolved. Jagraaj also capped his performance with a fantastic finish into the bottom corner too. With a large lead, the boys had to face a double power play (5 players vs 7) but showed great tenacity through this period. Stockton's goalkeeper made save after save to keep the lions from adding more to their healthy tally and Evan at the other end also had to be at his best to thwart the Stockton attack. The boys tired in the second half and had to stand firm against the energised Stockton team in the last 10 minutes. A fantastic first step for this group. Lots still to learn, but plenty to be excited about. Well done Lions!

GNP Jaguars Under 10s second game of the season vs Sky Blues in the Community Hawks started quick with both sides pressing high, playing with intensity. GNP Goalkeeper Freddie’s long ball from the box over the press set Leo loose to hammer the first goal into the bottom left. However, the Hawks returned with a good goal from a tight angle to bring it back level. Keeping the intensity Mithun drew a foul outside the box with the subsequent free kick rocketed emphatically by Isaac into the top left of the oppositions net, and with that the half time whistle rang. The Hawks were quick off the blocks in the second half stringing together a number of passes completed by a well driven strike to draw back level. GNP rallied and Leo almost grabbed the lead again just pulling his shot wide of post. Not soon after Varun’s drive and determination enabled him to get a ball across the box to Emaad who drove it into the roof of the Hawks net. The Hawks continued to press hard drawing some spectacular saves from Freddie, ultimately drawing back level with a free kick snuck just inside the post to finish the game all square. Theo was awarded player of the match for a solid performance in both defence and attack. Overall a fantastic game and start to the season. Come on you Jaguars!!

The Under 11 Pumas headed away to Coundon Court. The game started fairly evenly, but after 10–15 minutes the Pumas began to find their rhythm. After a number of good attempts on goal, Ajeet squared the ball across the box, where Finan opened the scoring with a great driven finish from the edge of the box. The Pumas really stepped it up in the second half, showing some excellent passing, movement and possession. Ife grabbed his first of the game, with Archie providing the assist. Coundon Court managed to pull one back, but the Pumas responded brilliantly, continuing to attack and looking to extend their lead. Ife found his second from a brilliant pass from Ajeet before Finan added his second to seal the win. Jensen, Zak and Jaiden were excellent at the back, showing great tackling, awareness and distribution. When Eric was tested, he pulled off some cracking saves. PotM – Finan for his attacking threat, two goals and fantastic work rate. A complete team performance from the Pumas.

GNP Under 11 Jaguars put in a fantastic team performance today, starting the game with great tempo and taking the lead, with Reggie and Agam both getting on the scoresheet. Theo also produced a brilliant save after being caught off his line when the opposition attempted a shot from halfway, helping the Jaguars maintain control of the game. The second half started with the same intensity, with Agam completing his hat-trick, finishing in style with a brilliant backheel for his third goal. Reggie also grabbed his second with a lovely lob over the goalkeeper. In midfield, Zion was instrumental, showing great composure, work rate and communication, while Anshveer also played brilliantly in defence. Player of the Match – Zion - A thoroughly deserved award for his contribution on the pitch, along with his excellent communication and organisation of those around him. Every player contributed equally and worked together as a team, making it a fantastic all-round performance. Really proud of the team today — well done Jaguars!

With a depleted squad the Under 11 Lions faced a strong Stratford Town Knights team for their first game of the season. The teams started evenly balanced with Caleb getting us on the score sheet with a long range strike. But as the Lions tried to find their form and settling into playing different positions the opposition hit twice in quick succession to gain the lead before half time. After a few minutes rest and tactical changes but without any subs to rely on the Lions roared into the second half with determination. Sehaj's long ball was skillfully put away by Ksawery before adding another with an assist from Sahib. Ksawery rounded off his hat trick from a great cross from Callum. For this and his relentless effort PoTM was earned by Ksawery. Sahib rounded off the game calmly slotting in a pass from Caleb. The Lions played some of their best football, passing and moving as a well oiled machine. A well deserved win!

Lions Grind Out a 4–3 Win. GNP Under 12 Lions continued their strong start to the season with a hard-fought 4–3 victory over Hillmorton Hawks, making it two wins from two. It was a scrappy game on a difficult pitch, but the Lions showed great character to find a way to win. The scoring started from a fantastic corner delivered by Amar, which caused problems in the box before coming off an opposition defender and into the net. Jude then smashed home two superb free kicks, with Josh calmly converting a penalty to complete the scoring. ? Player of the Match: Jude – a fantastic performance topped off with two brilliant free kicks. Not our best football, but a great example of the lads being able to grind out a result when needed.

SUNDAY – BOYS

Under 15 Lions went into League Cup Round 1 on a “free hit” as the draw pitted them against Nuneaton Town Whites from the Division above. The boys played with freedom and definitely had the best of the 1st half. The back 4 of Theo (replaced by Ryan), Bhairav, Chengwu & Yuvraj gave us a solid base, keeping Nuneaton at bay with apparent ease through most of the half. This allowed the midfield to create chances and it was Michael, who set free Filip on a run down the inside left channel. Filip outpaced the defenders cutting inside before slotting a fine finish in the far corner. Sahib nearly added to the scoresheet and Michael had 2 strong penalty claims turned down. All Nuneaton had to show was a free kick which struck the bar and a 1v1 which was put narrowly wide. 2nd half was more even but GNP still felt in control. It was a long range free kick from Nuneaton that drew them level, sneaking in at the far post. A substitution saw Filip brought back on at LW, and it paid immediate dividends when he stormed clear on the counter attack and was chopped down just inside the box. He stepped up calmly to score the penalty himself. But Nuneaton hit back with minutes to go when the striker ran clear, rounded Davide and rolled into the empty net. The penalty shootout went to sudden death and saw GNP efforts scored by Bhairav, Filip, Sahib, Kenneth, Mario & Michael and one Nuneaton penalty saved by Davide before the final Nuneaton kick was sent high over the bar. Wild scenes of jubilation for the GNP boys. Final score 2-2 FT ; 6-5 on penalties.

Under 15 Tigers faced Christ the King Red in a league tie rescheduled from last week, and went in without 4 key players available. The first half saw GNP in control for most of it, but saw the game get scrappier as it wore on and a limited number of clear chances created. The half time team talk seemed to do the trick as the Tigers responded with 4 quick goals in the matter of 12 minutes! A smart team move culminated in Saavun floating a delicious cross across the 6 yard box. Jasper couldn’t quite reach it, but Ayden timed his run perfectly to head in emphatically! Soon after a more scrambled effort, with Ayden knocking the ball across, where Jermaine arrived to tap in from 3 yards. Jermaine’s next two efforts were absolutely spectacular. He picked up the first outside the box, jinked to his right and curled in a wonder goal into the top corner! Soon after, a loose bouncing ball in the same sort of area saw Jermaine run onto it and lace a thunderous 25 yard volley over and wide of the goalkeeper’s despairing dive. In the blink of an eye it was 4-0 and what a hat trick from PotM Jermaine! The goalscoring wasn’t quite finished as the Tigers passing game really started to purr and chances came thick and fast. Wiktor’s long kick forward sent Jasper clear; he evaded the defender and then rounded the keeper before firing home. Jasper then added a superb second following a lovely passing move, latching onto a ball from the right and finishing first time, high into the net. Final score: GNP 6-0 CTK

Under 13 Tigers opened their competitive season with a cup tie against Rugby Borough Colts. The boys started well, pressed hard, and thought they had taken an early lead. Unfortunately following pushback from the opposition coach, the referee pulled the ball back from the centre and decided to change his decision to offside. Undeterred, the Tigers kept pressing and quickly Jude saw them back on the scorecard, coolly slotting home a penalty. This was swiftly followed by a fantastic goal from debutant Josh, and then a composed second for Jude. Rugby responded in the second half by substituting a very strong striker who caused countless problems for the defence. With a strong defensive effort, and some dramatic saves the Tigers fought to keep them at bay, but unfortunately ended the match 3-3. Level at 4-4 from the first 5 penalties, it moved to sudden death, with the whole team apart from the keeper being required to step in and try to keep them in it. Well done to all 10 boys who stepped up to kick from the spot, their support for their teammates who missed the mark and their cheers to rush and celebrate with Matthias on his final save summed up what the team is all about. Final score, 8-7 on pens to the Tigers. PotM: Moyo for a brilliant midfield performance.

Under 13 Lions were unlucky to draw an excellent Cov Jag team in the 1st round of the cup, a team they know well from the Lions stint in Division A last season. The boys put in a really spirited performance with a limited squad against a very good team. In the end the game was only decided by a controversial penalty decision which video evidence shows the foul being outside the box. Elijah was the Player of the Match for some great saves and his kicking distribution. All squad members put in a real shift and were unlucky not to come away with something today.

GNP Under 13 Pumas 3-6 Rugby Borough Jaguars. Pumas faced a tough Round 1 cup tie against a strong Div A Rugby Borough side. Rugby started brightly and took an early 2-0 lead, but the Pumas showed great character and determination to fight their way back into the game. A quick pass from Jaiden found Lekan, who produced a superb finish to get the Pumas on the scoresheet. Rugby added a third through a deflected effort, but the Pumas responded with a well-worked corner, with Faris reacting quickly to finish and make it 3-2. The Pumas finished the first half strongly and continued to compete with confidence. Rugby extended their lead early in the second half, but the Pumas continued to battle and created opportunities of their own. Kian played a fantastic ball through to Lekan, who calmly finished to score his second goal of the game. The Pumas also had further chances to add to their tally through Maaven, Faris and Jaiden. At the back, Leo, Faris and Jovan worked tirelessly to minimise Rugby’s attacking threat, while Sam produced several outstanding saves to keep the Pumas in the contest. Despite Rugby adding two late goals, the Pumas can be extremely proud of their performance. They went toe-to-toe with a Tier 1 side and showed fantastic character, teamwork and determination throughout the game!

Under 11 Tigers were up against Cov Utd Youth Spartans. With a tense opening 10 minutes the deadlock was broken with a fab solo effort by Arveer. He won the ball in his own half and then drove into the opposition half creating an angle outside the penalty area and slotting home the opener. Rivan was given a new position by starting on the left wing and he made a huge impression by being physically strong. Veer who looked excellent in last weeks opener, continued his great form and with an assist provided by Patryk allowing Veer to score a wonderful goal. Whilst attacking wise, the Tigers looked formidable - the defence looked calm and assured with player of the match Adam looking solid with great distribution play. Cov Utd tried to get back into it but this left space in their defence and Veer pounced on an opportunity to grab 1 more before half time. Second half, the Tigers were determined to keep a clean sheet and they remained solid at the back. Natan came on as a striker and he made an immediate impact by intercepting a ball kicked by their goalkeeper, thumping home a 4th goal. All in all a free flowing wonderful effort by the Tigers which was pleasing on the eye and well needed after losing their season opener last week.

Under 10 Tigers played an early kick off away to Coventry Phoenix in their season opener. Great team performance today. We were the better footballing team, and the boys played really well. We deserved at least a draw for the effort and quality we showed, but were edged out by the odd goal. A special well done to Arjun, on his return to the team, for his amazing defensive work and the great goal he scored! Keep it up, boys. Plenty of positives to take from today!

The Under 10 Pumas were away to Bulkington FC, a team we haven’t played before. We had a slow start and conceded two goals in the first half. We came out fighting in the second half but conceded another, before fabulous goals from Aarush and Hugh got us back into the game. Unfortunately, with a depleted squad and no substitutes (and, for a quarter of the game, a player down through injury), we conceded two more. However, it was an end-to-end game and the score could have gone either way. The boys were brilliant, listened well, and played as a unit, which bodes well for the season ahead. Onwards.

Under 10 Lions played a really competitive game against Coventry Utd Lionesses and it ended all square

GNP Under 9 Tigers vs Alvis Colts - GNP came into this game off the back of a heavy defeat and Alvis are a strong team that have only strengthened over the summer! Alvis took a quick lead latching onto a Lucas save and firing it through three pairs of legs! Undeterred the team stuck to the game plan of trying to build partnerships and improve passing and create chances. Rhys and Luca mixed good runs with incisive crosses to push Alvis back but we just couldn't find the target. Kyle came on and tried some more direct shots but despite some silky skills never quite got the space to get a clean powerful shot on target. Anthony and Rayan, both exceptional defenders, are learning to work together and covered for each other well as we try to push the defenders up the pitch more. Despite peppering the goal, it was Thomas that finally took a Kyle cross and blasted onto the crossbar with the resultant rebound crossing the line for a well-deserved and overdue goal. The first half was all Alvis on the scoreboard but included three very unlucky goals against us. The second half was nip and tuck and deservedly ended all square. This was a great performance from the team and a vast improvement on last week, with a lot that went really well and some beautiful passages of play. They can all be so proud of their hard work and next week’s opposition better watch out! Go Tigers!

Under 9 Pumas faced Mount Nod in their second league game, coming up against a more experienced side. The boys created plenty of goal-scoring opportunities and showed great tenacity and determination in their pursuit of a goal, with several efforts coming agonisingly close. Unfortunately, the experience of the opposition showed, as they were able to make their chances count. Player of the Match was Aryan, who put in an excellent defensive performance and showed great determination throughout. Every player gave their all and worked brilliantly as a team, and despite the result, the boys can walk away with their heads held high knowing they are improving with every game.