An exciting 2nd week of the season saw Round 1 League Cup action for our competitive age Sunday teams and continuation of league action for the rest of the age groups. Special mentions this week to the Under 12 Jaguars, a newly formed team who notched a tremendous 5-0 victory in only their 2nd ever league match, and to Muhamadou Drammeh, who played a huge role in both his team's victories at the weekend, scoring 4 goals on Saturday (U13 Tigers) and the same on Sunday (U14 Tigers) playing one year up! A superb achievement!

SATURDAY – MEN’S

An important 2-1 home win for GNP Sports Senior Team against Mercia Athletic to leave them sitting unbeaten and in 4th place just behind the joint leaders after 2 games.

SATURDAY – GIRLS

Under 14 Panthers were up against Illmington United. The Panthers were unrelenting in their pressure from the first whistle. Some fantastic possession play by the midfield kept the ball firmly in the opposition half. Panthers were becoming slightly frustrated with some weak shots from distance. But they kept going through some neat passing and eventually the deadlock was broken with a fantastic cross by Mankirat for Lizzie to slot it home. The Panthers keeper Orna must’ve only had a handful of touches in the 1st half. The 2nd half saw a little pressure from Illmington but was snuffed out quickly by Avani. Dhanroop put in an amazing shift as right back and debutant Amelia did well in the midfield. Halfway through the 2nd half, an amazing move from Hannah to Rose who delivered an amazing pass to Mankirat who slotted home a fantastic strike in the bottom right hand corner, out of the reach of the keeper. With a minute to go, the opposition punted one down the pitch and managed to get one back with the result being 2-1 to the Panthers. All in all a commanding performance and a fab start to the season for the team.

Under 11 Panthers V Boldmere Falcons. 2nd match of the season at 9 a side, against high quality tier 1 opposition. The girls showed amazing resilience and gave it their all. Heads dropping would have been a problem when on the back foot. But on the day they all kept going, showing tremendous mental strength and sheer effort, trying to change the tide of the game. The move from 7-a-side to 9-a-side has been tough, with the girls adjusting to the bigger pitches and using their positioning to influence the game. The girls ensured this wasn’t the easiest game for Boldmere. A great number of attempts by Boldmere were thwarted by strong defence, and by Poppy who was non-stop under pressure in goal. Rhea and Khloe had a couple of good chances at goal, supported by great assists by the team. Not to be this week, but this sustained level of effort is sure to pay dividends in the near future against different opponents!

SATURDAY – BOYS

GNP Under 13 Tigers hosted a Hillmorton team who were unbeaten from last season. Both teams started off strong but it was GNP who took the lead through a fine finish from Muhammadou. Both sides pressed throughout the half and GNP took the slim lead into half time. Again the 2nd half started evenly but GNP increased their lead with another great run and finish by Muhamadou. Hillmorton weren’t finished. After a defensive mix-up they were gifted a corner from which they pulled themselves back into the game. Immediately GNP went on the offensive but one of the players saw red after a challenge. Now with their backs to the wall GNP dug in deep defensively and begun a more counter-attacking approach which proved to be very punishing for the opposition. A further 2 goals from Muhamadou saw GNP come out 4-1 winners and saw him unequivocally recognised with the PotM honours.

The Under 10 Lions hosted Hillmorton Hawks. Although the Lions worked well to create chances, Hillmorton broke through the defences to get an early lead. The boys fought hard to get in front of goal but the opposition keeper did a phenomenal job to maintain their lead. Undeterred, the boys started the 2nd half with renewed determination! The whole team playing as a well-oiled machine ensured the ball passed up the pitch quickly. Enabling them to create chance after chance, only to be denied by the keeper or the woodwork. The continued determination paid off with Sahib breaking through, which was followed by Veer and Fakhir efforts to seal the victory. This was the Lions' best performance to date, with Manroop being recognised as PotM for his solid performance. A great display of teamwork and football!

The Under 10 Jaguars visited Firefighters this weekend, and despite a challenging start, the boys showed remarkable resilience. Initially being second to the ball and outplayed, they quickly adjusted their tactics and began to attack with purpose. They came very close to scoring before half time, with Agam making some impressive saves while Reggie and Tonks tested the opposing goalie, who managed a few incredible saves to keep his team in the game. The 2nd half opened with the same intensity, and it didn't take long for the Jaguars to take the lead. A corner delivered by Zion was expertly finished by Jake, putting us ahead. The opposition managed to counter and equalize after a solid save from Tonks, but the Jaguars refused to back down. With determination, the boys pushed forward, and both Agam and Reggie came within inches of scoring, hitting the woodwork. The match ended all square, but it's clear that the Jaguars played a game they fully deserved to win. The improvement in their performance compared to last week was significant and reflects their hard work and dedication.

The Under 10 Pumas played at home against Stockton and set the tempo right from the start. Archie opened the scoring, quickly followed by a low-driven strike from Harvey to double the lead. Stockton responded strongly, netting three quick goals to swing the game in their favour. The Pumas didn’t back down, with the midfield linking play brilliantly and creating dangerous chances. Their persistence was rewarded when Ajeet struck from a corner to level the score at half-time. After the break, Stockton capitalized on some rapid counterattacks to regain the lead. Undeterred, the Pumas continued to press forward, and Harvey added his second of the game. Eric produced a string of outstanding saves and distributed the ball superbly, earning himself a well-deserved Player of the Match award.

Under 9 Jaguars visited Sky Blues in The Community Phoenix. The first half was fast-paced and evenly matched. The Jaguars held their shape well, defending with determination and matching the Sky Blues stride for stride. Despite several goal attempts from the opposition, our defence stayed strong—until the Sky Blues finally broke through and went into halftime a goal up. The 2nd half saw five more goals from the Sky Blues, but the Jaguars never let their heads drop. They played with great intensity throughout, showing real fighting spirit in a physical contest. Freddie made some stunning saves on his debut game. And then came the moment of the match—Leo scored his first ever goal for the Jaguars from a corner! The boys gave it everything—amazing through balls, committed defence, and attacking flair. Proud of how they kept their heads up and played with heart. Bobby was player of the week for his tireless tracking, forward runs and defensive effort.

Under 8 Lions were back in action vs Hillmorton Colts, with a few positional changes to freshen things up. Despite going down early on, the boys showed fantastic resilience and never let their heads drop. The second half was simply superb from the Lions. Theo came off the bench and made an instant impact, pressing high and winning the ball before curling a stunning finish into the top corner to pull one back. The equaliser wasn’t far off. Thomas, now showing his outfield skills, picked up the ball, drove past the Hilmorton defence, and calmly slotted it home to level the game. Kiaan showed once again that size doesn’t matter — he covered every blade of grass and was a constant threat, denied only by some excellent goalkeeping. As time ticked down, it was Dhillan who stepped up. Winning the ball back with sheer determination, he broke away and fired a composed finish into the bottom corner to secure a dramatic winner for the Lions! PotM went to Luca, whose all-round performance was superb. He was everywhere — beating defenders, creating chances, and tirelessly working to win the ball back when out of possession. A brilliant comeback and a fantastic team performance from every single player. Well done Lions!

Under 8 Tigers were unlucky not to take anything from a closely fought contest with Christ the King. The boys showed great resilience to battle and come back from being down four times. But being short on numbers this week the oppositions fresh legs told in the end stretching their lead in the final minutes. Milkias showed great strength in defence and both Taran and Lucas pulled off vital saves. Rayan was a rock as always, whilst Rhys (1) and Akram (3) pushed for the win with goals for GNP. The team took the good work from training straight to the pitch and deserved more from a fantastic effort all round

Under 7 Tigers match against Chapelfields Colts started off fast and physical. But the boys didn't let that rattle them. They stayed calm and focused on the task. In the first 10 minutes the boys had scored 3 goals by reacting quickly and showing determination. By half time they were even further ahead. There was a beautiful moment where all players were involved in a goal right from our goalkeeper which showed excellent game awareness, teamwork and clinical passing. By the third quarter Chapelfield Colts had an extra 2 players, but watching the Tigers continue their form, score goals and keep a clean sheet, you wouldn't have known. Player of the match went to Uday who tracked excellently up and down the pitch putting in vital tackles, runs and passes, and scoring a corker of a goal from the halfway line!

Under 7 Lions hosted Coventry Sphinx Whites this weekend. Both teams started off brightly with Jeevan leading the line. Following a few tremendous saves from the opposition, the first quarter was evenly matched. Sphinx established a dominance in the second quarter despite Aathi's best efforts in goal, and the Lions found themselves a couple goals behind half way through the match. A change in the third quarter brought the Lions back into the game with an assist each from Lucas and Jeevan, contributing to two goals from Gian, who also hit the post during the game. This was coupled with Aarav in goal, who was exceptional, and Harvansh who consistently battled to win the ball back. Sphinx managed to get a winner in what was a closely matched contest.

SUNDAY - BOYS

The Under 17s visited Christ the King U18’s in the first round of the cup. After a dominant first half performance from CTK, partnered with some dodgy goals and individual errors, we went into the break 5-0 down. Half time saw a switch of formation to pack out the midfield and the boys kept digging, managing to win the second half 3-2. Too little too late with the final score finishing 7-3. Positives to take however, with 8 new recruits finding their feet and settling in well. Archie W gets his first goal for the club, with many more to come.

Under 14 Tigers hosted Division E Bulkington Sports as strong favourites, and lived up to this tag with a dominant performance and victory. 5-0 at half time thanks to fine goals from PotM, Dylan, Iklil & a Muhamadou hat trick, with assists from Saavun, Enoch & Oscar. The 2nd half saw Muhamadou grab his 4th (amazingly his 2nd four-goal haul in 2 days!), chasing onto a long Wiktor kick, and then Oscar grabbed his 2nd assist, setting up wing back Saavun for a delicious chipped finish into the far corner! The game ended abruptly when the Bulkington attacker sadly fell awkwardly in a challenge and broke his arm. We wish him a safe and speedy recovery from his unfortunate injury! The Tigers progress safely into the 2nd round of the Cup.

Under 14 Lions faced Chapelfields Colts Lionesses in their 1st Round Cup tie, a team two divisions higher, and went in with some tactical tweaks to keep the game as close as possible as underdogs. However, they upset the odds early on with a Theo corner which was smartly turned in by Rikhil, first time at the near post for his first GNP goal! Despite being under the cosh, Mario put them 2-0 up on the counter-attack from a Chengwu through ball. An excellent 1st half all round, but things got even better after the break when Harry was set free on the left by a probing Jasper through ball and finished at the near post. Chapelfields, however, fought back with gusto, grabbing 3 quickfire goals in 7 minutes. Just as GNP seemed to have stemmed the tide, and the tie seemed destined for a penalty shoot-out, a goalmouth melee 3 mins from the end, saw the Lionesses attacker stab home a rebound after GNP failed to clear. A 2nd agpnising late defeat in 2 weeks, but an improvement in performance and discipline to be proud of against a stronger team.

Under 14 Pumas faced an uphill battle visiting Coventrians in the Cup, playing an established team, 2 divisions up. The boys played well first half, but somehow went in 3-0 down. After the break, the home team’s greater experience told as they mounted up the goals with the scoreline ending 8-1. A proud effort from all the boys, nevertheless, and plenty to take in to league action next week!

Under 13 Pumas were in cup action against Coventrians. Slow start by the Pumas, Coventrians taking complete control early on in the game and piling the pressure on the Pumas back line. Pumas goalkeeper Harrison Eyden pulling off a number of fine saves to keep the score level. Coventrians were able to get the goal they deserved taking a 1-0 lead into the half time interval. Pumas were limited to a handful of goal scoring opportunities which failed to hit the target. Pumas starting the 2nd half where they finished the first, on the back foot. Coventrians extending their lead. Pumas finally stepped up a gear and took the game to Coventrians. Chances were being created by the Pumas, Junior Dhadwal broke away with one to pull a goal back for the Pumas. Game became an evenly contested affair but Coventrians struck from distance to extend their lead and put the game beyond a tiring Pumas team who were down to the bare minimum players for the 2nd week running. Final score 1-4.

The GNP Jaguars Under 12 team secured their first win of the season with a convincing 5-0 victory over Stockton Juniors. The team dominated the match, showcasing their hard work and dedication. Arjun scored four goals and provided an assist, earning him player of the match. The team's defence, led by Harrai, Omar, and Manny, was solid, and goalkeeper Morris contributed to the clean sheet. Despite playing without substitutions, the team maintained their energy and focus throughout the game, demonstrating improved fitness levels. The win serves as a confidence booster for the season ahead, highlighting the team's potential for success.

The Under 12 Pumas got off to a strong start at Chetwynd Jets with some excellent passing, and it wasn’t long before Lekan opened the scoring. Their momentum continued, and after a superb cross from Lekan, Shivan doubled the lead. Dominating possession and playing attractive football, the Puma’s soon made it 3–0 through another well-taken finish from Lekan. Against the run of play, however, a mistimed tackle gave Chetwynd a penalty, which they converted to make it 3–1 at halftime. In the second half, the Puma’s kept pressing, but a defensive mix-up allowed Chetwynd to grab a second goal. Ziyaad came close to restoring the cushion with a brilliant solo run, only to slip at the final moment. More chances followed, with Lekan narrowly missing the target, before Ziyaad produced a moment of magic—beating two defenders on the left and finishing with a superb strike to seal the win. A fantastic result and a great all-round performance from the Pumas!

The Under 12 Tigers travelled to CTK for a challenging away fixture and once again showed great character and determination. CTK started strongly and went ahead early, but the Tigers responded well, growing into the game and finding their rhythm. Reece pulled one back with a superbly taken free kick, giving the team a well-deserved lift. The opposition struck again to extend their advantage, but the Tigers refused to give up. They pressed forward and were rewarded when Lewel finished neatly after some good build-up play, setting up an exciting finale. Late in the game, Reece was brought down in the box and the referee initially pointed to the spot. However, after consulting with the linesman, the decision was overturned – a moment that left the Tigers feeling disappointed, as it could have changed the outcome of the match. Despite the setback, the boys battled until the final whistle and can be proud of their resilience, teamwork, and the spirit they showed throughout the game. This performance shows how much this new-look Tigers squad is developing, and there are plenty of positives to take into the next match.

The Under 12 Lions were up against Cov Jag - a team who has a reputation of bulldozing teams in Div A, so it was always going to be a tough ask. The first half, the Lions showed plenty of grit and determination and went into half time 2-0 down, showing good moments and creating good chances of their own. In the 2nd half, after 45 minutes or so, Cov Jag showed their extra fitness, strength and skill all over the pitch and managed to score 6 pretty quick fire goals in the final 15 minutes, to make it a resounding victory for Cov Jag in the end.

Under 11 Tigers came into a tough Trophy Event fixture against a really strong opponent in Coventry Sphinx and were looking to make it 2 wins in the tournament. However a couple minutes into the game they conceded a goal from a free kick which was well taken and was soon followed by another goal which came from a defensive mishap. However GNP had a few good chances with Harry putting his chance wide and also testing the keeper with a shot near the edge of the box. After HT GNP we’re looking to find a way back into the game but due to some miscommunication with the defensive line they had conceded a few goals and Kyan made unbelievable saves throughout the entirety of the game to keep the scoreline as low as possible. With no subs the Tigers started to tire and Sphinx took advantage and ran riot for the remainder. PotM deservedly went to Kyan for his fantastic saves.

Under 10 Tigers were up against Coventry Phoenix. The Tigers were up against it most of the match conceding several goals against a strong opposition. Ollie however made a number of superb saves to keep the scoreline respectable earning him the Player of the Match award. Patryk also led the way in showing his ability to compete in this higher Tier. Some victories however aren’t just about the scoreline, and it was fabulous to see Tyrae bag his first ever goal, taking it so well with a wonderful chip!

The Under 9 Pumas played our first home match of the season, against Christ The King Blue - a team we haven’t played before. It started as an evenly-matched game, although we grew into the game and dominated possession. Their keeper kept them in the game until we finally got a breakthrough, with Jodhbeer assisting Srihan to score a great goal in the last few minutes. Unfortunately we couldn’t hold on to the lead and conceded an unlucky deflected equaliser at the end. All of the boys played brilliantly and never gave up.
Under 9 Lions played away against Leamington Foundation with their newfound intensity. From the moment the boys started their game the drive to score was evident. The boys dominated the game and were rewarded with goals from Sam and Neal. As the game drew closer to the end, there was a temporary lapse leaving the goal exposed and Leamington were able to capitalise on this opportunity. The boys are building on their strengths, keep up the good work and congratulations on another positive result!

In their 2nd game of the season, the Under 9 Tigers travelled away to face a strong Daventry Lionesses side. Despite the tough opposition, the Tigers showed great teamwork and spirit. Daventry opened the scoring early on, but Gurshaan quickly hit back for the Tigers before adding a second. Yotam then got on the scoresheet to give the visitors a slender advantage at half-time. Kurren was outstanding in goal, pulling off some brilliant saves to keep his team in front. The Lionesses came out strong after the break, netting twice to take the lead. Arthur then struck to level the game once more, but Daventry managed to grab the decisive goal to edge ahead again. Jibreel kept the scoreline close with a superb fingertip save, tipping the ball over the bar to deny them another. A special mention goes to Yahya, who ran tirelessly throughout the match and set up several goals with his clever play.