Torrential rainfall late in the week caused much frustration, with a large number of the fixtures having to be postponed yet again. 10 matches survived, and are summarised below.

SATURDAY – GIRLS

The Panthers Under 9 (pictured) faced off against Solihull Moors in a thrilling and evenly contested match, with both teams showcasing determination throughout. Solihull Moors struck early with the opening goal, but the Panthers remained composed and continued to push forward. Their persistence paid off just before half-time, as Jackie slotted home the equaliser, sending the teams into the break on level terms. The second half saw the Panthers raise their intensity, pressing high and linking up in attack. This energy was rewarded with two well-deserved goals—Jasmine finding the net with precision, followed by a composed finish from Mihar. Defensively, the team was impressive, tracking back with discipline and resilience. Shreya delivered a standout performance between the posts, making several crucial saves to keep the scoreline balanced. The match ended in a well-earned draw, with plenty of positives for the Panthers to take away.

3rd place GNP Under 14 Panthers were away to top of the table Heath Ballerz. The home team was much the quicker to start and the Panthers struggled to keep up with the pace going 2 goals down within 15 minutes due to rather lacklustre defending. The Panthers then started to come back into the game with Hannah dominating the midfield and driving it forward. She made a great pass to Mankirat who manage to get past 2 defenders to slot in a goal. Heath Ballerz however remained undeterred and came back strongly with a couple of substitutes being brought on, scoring just before half time. 2nd half started off evenly with Maya clearing away a couple of attacks. Jah’Dae was up against a very strong winger but she really held her own attacking and defending brilliantly. The home team continued to attack; however, on a day where ball handling was supremely difficult, Orna was superb with her saves and catches. This kept the Panthers in it for long periods, but the opposition was just too powerful, scoring twice more to make it 5-1 by the final whistle. All in all a performance by the Panthers that they can be proud of, with the scoreline only telling half of the story.

SATURDAY – BOYS

GNP Under 7 Tigers took on new opponents, Lawford United away and left with the spoils. Lawford are newly promoted and did well against our strong team. Rehmat, Uday and David all did a great job to start with, working together to find space and apply pressure. David struck first with a run and cross-shot from the right. Uday was a threat via dangerous corner kicks and several threatening runs down the wing. In the 2nd period the Tigers continued to play well together, creating numerous chances. Eventually Joban bundled home another goal after his initial effort was saved. Uday was always hungry for the ball and scored a cracking long range effort following a quick kick-in from the left. Cameron went close on a couple of occasions. A real team effort led to the first goal of the 3rd quarter; Joban at the back linked up with Marsels, who fed Tobias, who ran down the right and finished with a calm well placed shot. Tobias won the ball again and got his second. In the final quarter the boys were playing against an extra couple of players and Lawford were applying more pressure. The Tigers held it together and Cameron took a shot from the left which hit the post, but David was there to finish the rebound. Lawford notched a well-deserved consolation goal for their perseverance. The final goal came from a run down the line from Joban who made an unselfish and smart decision to cross it in to Marsels who was well placed to lash home the final goal high into the net. Player of the match went to Uday who covered a lot of ground, showing incredible hunger for the ball , made some great runs and scored a brilliant goal.

The Under 7 Lions hosted CTK Blue. The first half was a tightly contested 20 minutes, both teams threatening to score with Gian and Lucas doing well on the wing, making it difficult for the opposition. Aarav was tremendous as goalkeeper today. He looked very confident, which was assuring to his teammates. CTK eventually were the first to score with a quick double. Before the break, Gian was rewarded for his determination and self-belief, with a fabulously taken goal for the Lions to get them back into the game. The second half proved to be a more challenging half for the Lions, Tommy, Shivaay, and Aathi showed lots of energy, but CTK's pressure overwhelmed and goals went in to widen CTK's lead. Mikey showed some really good moments with his dribbling, driving the ball positively forward. The end of the game left the Lions with plenty to ponder. It was a match that got away from them this week.

The GNP Under 8 Lions made a bright start to the new season with a hard-fought game against a big, physical Exhall side. The boys played with real heart, determination, and spirit, standing up well to the challenge while sticking to their passing game. A real highlight was a spell of seven passes in a row as players looked for each other and worked to create chances. Tackles were strong and committed throughout. Theo scored a clever goal from a quick kick-in, while Elliot grew into the game superbly and finished with two goals. Thomas was excellent at the back and later in goal. Evan impressed in goal before bringing energy and disruption into midfield. Jagraaj and Sahib worked hard, marking well and looking for passes with quick footwork and heads up to find team mates, while Luca was unlucky not to score but led the line with determination. Dhillan was full of energy up front, then strong at the back, and deserved his goal pushing forward. A fantastic morning of football, showing two contrasting styles with the GNP Lions proving they want to pass, play, and work for each other.

GNP Under 10 Jaguars took on Leek Wootton Colts, a team two divisions above last season, in a competitive and attacking encounter. Both sides played positive football, but defensive errors in the first half allowed Leek Wootton to take the lead. The second half remained open, with chances at both ends. Leek Wootton added another goal, but the Jaguars continued to battle. Their effort paid off when Agam delivered a corner that Brandon converted. Although it wasn’t enough to change the result, the Jaguars’ determination stood out. Both the opposition coach and referee praised the boys’ fighting spirit. Player of the Match went to Anshveer for his relentless attacking and fearless defending.

SUNDAY – BOYS

Under 12 Jaguars made a strong start to 2026 with an excellent team performance against a very strong and physical Exhall side. After a five-week break, the boys came out sharp, creating chance after chance and controlling large parts of the game. Despite conceding from a scrappy corner and having a penalty saved, the team was always on the front foot. In the second half, we dominated possession and, with the number of chances we had, were unlucky not to come away with the win. Persistence paid off late on when Joven B unleashed a stunning left-footed strike into the top corner to equalise. Morris also made a brilliant save to keep us level at the other end. Overall, it was a fantastic display of effort, resilience, and quality. Player of the Match went to Harrai for a commanding performance at the back.

Under 12 Lions were at home to Sphinx Blue in their Division A clash. The Lions started really well and took the lead in the first 5 minutes through a smart attack, with Jack releasing Aaron Marajh for a well taken goal. The Lions were playing fast flowing and aggressive football. The Lions created chances but the Sphinx keeper was in inspired form, leaving the Lions with a narrow 1-0 lead at half time. The 2nd half was another even battle, with the Lions creating good opportunities and Sphinx looking dangerous on the break. With 10 minutes to go, Sphinx scored with a breakaway goal and a minute later, an unfortunate mistake between the sticks from a long range effort allowed Sphinx to turn the game on its head 1-2, with 8 minutes to go. The Lions threw everything in to getting the equaliser, but it wasn’t to be. Despite the defeat, the Lions continue to prove that they are a competitive match in Division A, against some very good opposition, week in week out. Each and every player has improved and team play has developed really well. Player of the match went to Aman, for stepping up to play as goalkeeper, and delivering a fine display; one mistake should not take away from what was a very good performance from him.

The Under 12 Tigers faced a tough challenge in the cup against Nuneaton Borough Greens, a side competing a division above, but produced a performance full of fight, quality, and character. The match started brightly for the Tigers, who matched Nuneaton in every department for the opening 15 minutes. The boys showed confidence on the ball, worked hard off it, and competed well against strong opposition. Nuneaton eventually found a breakthrough and went on to build a lead, but the Tigers never let their heads drop. At 3–0 down, the Tigers got the reward their effort deserved. Jude produced a beautifully taken strike, calmly slotting the ball into the corner of the goal to give the team belief and momentum heading into the 2nd half. The 2nd period brought further challenges, with the Tigers picking up a couple of injuries, but their resilience and determination shone through. Despite continued pressure from Nuneaton, the Tigers showed real quality in spells, finding the net three more times. Declan and Majid both got on the scoresheet, while Jude added his second of the game. Although it wasn’t the result the Tigers were hoping for, it was a valiant effort from every single player. The performance highlighted the progress being made, especially from the newer signings, who showed great determination and played some excellent football in spells against higher-tier opposition. Player of the Match: Declan – for an outstanding all-round performance, leading by example throughout.

After a long Christmas break, the GNP Under 9 Tigers started brightly against Vision Villains, pressing well from the outset and forcing an early own goal. Very quickly, Vision responded, growing into the match, and strong attacking play and smooth link-ups provided a challenge throughout for the Tigers. Goalkeeper Louis made several impressive saves, but despite the Tigers’ efforts, the match ended in defeat.