This weekend, before all of the fixtures, a minute’s silence or applause was observed by all teams (pictured), in memory of our dear friend & colleague, Narinder Singh, the coach of the GNP Sports Under 11 Panthers, who tragically passed away unexpectedly last week. Narinder has been instrumental in the recent growth of our girls section and fostered an incredible team spirit amongst his squad. The girls are best friends on and off the pitch, a special and lasting legacy from Narinder. He was always so proud of the achievements of the team! Our thoughts, prayers and best wishes go to Narinder’s family, friends and of course the Panthers squad at this incredibly difficult time.

SATURDAY – GIRLS

Under 9 Panthers produced a fantastic away performance against Knowle. Before kick-off, both teams observed a one-minute applause for the much-loved GNP legend, Narinder, which was beautifully held. Knowle started strongly, playing a physical game and moving the ball well. The opening stages were evenly contested, with both teams cancelling each other out, and the match went into half-time goalless. In the second half, the Panthers really raised their level with great determination and energy. Shreya was excellent in goal, making three outstanding saves at crucial moments, distributing the ball confidently, and showing real bravery throughout. At the back, Lily and Tanaya both delivered strong defensive performances, showing good decision-making and solidity. Siya gave a great all-round display, covering large areas of the pitch. Her first goal was superb — collecting the ball near halfway, beating two defenders, and driving a composed low finish into the bottom corner. She followed this up with a second goal soon after. Up front, Jaye scored a well-taken goal and continued to press effectively in attack. Jasmine and Jackie both contributed to an excellent all-round team performance. The victory and final scoreline were fully deserved after a disciplined, hardworking display. A performance to be very proud of.

SATURDAY – BOYS

Under 10 Pumas travelled to Claverdon for a highly competitive away fixture. The match began at a fast pace, with both teams creating early chances. Harvey opened the scoring with a superb finish after latching onto a perfectly weighted through ball. At the back, the Pumas were solid and disciplined, making crucial tackles throughout, while Eric produced several outstanding saves to keep the team in control. In the 2nd half, the opposition struck twice in quick succession, but the Pumas responded with determination. Following some excellent passing play, Sunny calmly slotted the ball into the net to bring the scores level. The Pumas continued to press, creating several chances, only to be denied repeatedly by the opposition goalkeeper. With just minutes remaining, a quick kick found Harvey in behind the defence, and he showed great composure to finesse the ball past the keeper for the winning goal. It was a fantastic team performance, full of grit, resilience, and determination. Eric POTM for his fantastic goalkeeping.

GNP Under 10 Jaguars finished all square against Khalsa Lions after showing great character to come back from behind. Khalsa started the match on the front foot, playing attacking football, and capitalised on two goalkeeping mistakes to take the lead in the first half. The Jaguars responded well, pulling one back through a sharp counter-attack involving Jake and Brandon, with Brandon finishing the move. The second half saw the Jaguars come out in full force, and their pressure paid off when Zion struck to bring the scores level. Despite creating several promising attacking opportunities, the Jaguars were unable to convert for a winner. Player of the Match went to James, whose excellent second-half saves kept the Jaguars in the game at crucial moments. Overall, it was a strong team performance and a good contest, with the Jaguars showing real resilience to come back from behind.

GNP Under 8 Tigers vs Sporting Rugby Raiders. When the new look Tigers were formed they were edged out in a pre season friendly against the Raiders in a ding-dong battle. Roll forward 5 months and the boys got a chance to see how they had progressed. They hit the ground running with all three attackers finding the net in the first 5 minutes and putting a solid Raiders team on the back foot. Before they could do any more damage two defensive mistakes gifted Rugby the ball and a way back into the game at the end of the first quarter. Switching the formation around brought on Milkias, Naod and Taran, a strong defensive line up with good dribbling skills that has never quite fulfilled its goalscoring potential but today put that to bed and hopefully opened the door to many more goals to come as great team work and skill led to four goals. Including a stylish flick by Akram from a Naod cross and a wonderful free kick from Taran. After half time the team played against 6 player powerplay for almost the entire half, having to work twice as hard to keep the Raiders at bay. All the defensive work in training and nonstop effort from the team on the day, kept the raiders relatively quiet, and the team continued to create clear chances. The boys managed a couple more goals to round out an incredible performance of great skill and teamwork from every single player. Goals came from Akram, Petru, Rhys and Taran. Assists from Akram, Petru, Naod and Lucas. And ever dependable in goal, Lucas produced some really great saves to keep the pressure off the team.

Under 8 Lions

GNP Under 7 Tigers hosted Dallas Burston Knights for the 2nd time this season. The game was fast-paced with the Knights applying lots of pressure early on. Unfortunately the Tigers weren't their usual switched-on selves, with unforced errors giving Dallas opportunity to score 4 goals, despite the best efforts of Tobias as keeper. The Tigers got their first goal with a pass from Rehmat to Marsels which was saved, but Joban was alert to score from the rebound. Tobias moved into defence but that didn’t stop him scoring a belter from the half way line. Uday made 2 good saves for the Tigers during his spell in goal, but that didn't stop the impressive Knights finishing the first half with 6 goals. Tigers were unusually messy and rushed from the back, but this is a team that never gives up. The 2nd half proved that again and the Tigers were close to making a mighty comeback. Dallas were only able to score one goal in this half and chances were being made by the Tigers. The Tigers began to play as they usually do, creating chances, nice link ups, and less mistakes being made at the back. Tobias scored a cracking free kick, Rehmat added two goals and Uday one, but the boys came up agonisingly short. Despite the comeback the coaches feel they have a few things the team need to scrub up on before our next match. Player of the match went to Tobias for scoring 2 cracking goals, showing resilience to get back up after some bruising exchanges, and being a super strong player for the Tigers all round.

Under 7 Lions were away this Saturday against a high quality Vision Titans. The Lions started the first quarter well. They were organised, played on the counter, and went toe to toe in all areas of the pitch. Lucas had an outstanding first quarter, both for distribution and when to press. Shivaay and Gian had control of the flanks defensively and offensively. Upfront Tommy showed lots of energy as a striker. Vision were first to score with a well taken goal. However, the Lions hit back immediately with a strike from distance by Shivaay. The second quarter, Vision, started very strong and continued throughout the quarter with a number of goals. Many of the goals could have been avoided, which led to some of the Lions needing a jolt of motivation and belief at the halftime break. In the third quarter, the Lions regrouped, Gian was determined in defence to regain control of the match, which influenced his teammates to keep going. Lucas made a couple of good saves to keep the Lions in the game. Mikey did his best to lead the line against strong opponents. Harvansh did well on the wing, unfortunate not to score on two occasions. The final quarter Vision pushed forward in an attempt to widen the score. Aathi and Lucas' efforts were faultless in the quarter. Gian produced many good saves, still determined that the Lions could get something out of the game. Opposition coach PoTM was awarded to Gian for his individual moments, work rate, and the spirit with which he played the game.

Under 13 Tigers continued their seemingly unstoppable march to the Div 1 League title with an emphatic victory at Sporting Rugby after the game venue had to be switched due to FInham Park being waterlogged. Final score 10-2 GNP Tigers!

SUNDAY – BOYS

The Under 9 Lions joined the Exhall U9 lionesses with a round of applause in honour of Narinder a fellow coach who will be sorely missed by many in the GNP Sports community. The match was played in 4 quarters as no subs were available for this fixture. Facing a team they had previously lost against, the boys were raring to go this time. Harnam and Jeevan formed a strong defensive team at the back making it difficult for the lionesses. with Balraj continuing his fantastic performance in goals. Aaron did a great job in midfield ensuring opportunities were created throughout the match. Neal, Anwar and Harvey showed great team work and link up play for the attack, resulting in Harvey getting a hat trick and Anwar adding a brace. Anwar, Harvey and Neal were all involved in the assists. It was a fantastic all-round effort from the boys and a performance to be proud of!

GNP Under 9 Tigers produced a dominant attacking performance throughout the duration of the game to secure a well-deserved victory over Mount Nod. From the opening whistle, the Tigers set the tone with high energy and constant pressure, winning the ball all over the pitch. For large spells of the match, Mount Nod found it difficult to move the ball out of their own half. The constant pressure and slick passing between the Tigers led to a high number of goal-scoring opportunities, registering around seven times more shots than their opponents across the game. Despite Mount Nod’s resilience in defence and strong goalkeeping performance, the Tigers’ persistence paid off. Gurshaan led the charge up front, showing great composure and finishing ability to score both goals and put the game beyond doubt. The game highlighted the Tigers’ strong teamwork and attacking intent, while also showcasing Mount Nod’s determination to keep fighting under pressure. At the final whistle, the scoreline reflected the Tigers’ control of the match. Gurshaan was deservedly awarded Player of the Match for his goals and high work rate in attack.

The Under 9 Pumas were away to Panjab Athletic. Due to various factors, this was the Pumas’ first match of 2026, and it was a great first match of the season. We started brightly and quickly settled into a rhythm. Our midfield were getting a lot of the play but couldn’t get the ball through the opposition defence. Despite our defence holding strong, we conceded an unfortunate penalty in the first half when the ball bounced awkwardly in the box and one of our players was deemed to have hand-balled it. It proved to be the decisive goal and, in spite of very few decisions going our way, the boys fought to the end and can certainly hold their heads high in the narrowest of games.

GNP Under 10 Tigers hosted Exhall FC. The away team started quickly scoring from a set piece within the first minute. The Tigers took some time to find their way into the game before dominating the match. Arveer opened the scoring for the Tigers, shortly followed by Veer. The boys displayed excellent passing across the pitch, putting their training into practice, especially when taking corners. Adam, Felix and Tyrae were solid in new positions. Shout out to Ollie who made some incredible saves as well as spurring on his team through strong communication. With the match not quite safe for the Tigers in the 2nd half, Arveer stepped up and made it so, taking the game beyond the reach of Exhall . PotM was Sahib who tormented the opposition defenders and goalkeeper with his skills and putting away 2 goals from two great passing moves.

Under 11 Tigers needed a positive performance vs Soccerrockz Wrecking balls after a disappointing defeat last week. With no subs, the players needed to work hard for each other. In the first half the Tigers raced into a 3 goal lead with Sohan scoring twice from long range and Kiaan scored from a rebound after sustained pressure. The Tigers looked comfortable defensively but were caught out from a late corner in the half. In the second half the Wrecking Balls went into a more attacking formation. The Tigers were able to fend them off until they were caught out from a long ball. Soccerrockz equalised with a long range free kick strike. After further pressure and a goal mouth scramble the home side took the lead. The Tigers had to pick themselves up and find another gear. As the began to commit more bodies forward, a freekick was awarded, Dharam stepped up and put it in the top corner. The players were ecstatic, in the final moments they continued to press to find a winner but it wasn't meant to be. Overall a great game to watch and much improved performance from the boys. PotM went to Sohan for playing a solid game at left back and scoring two great goals!

GNP Under 12 Tigers produced a dominant away performance at Bedworth United Mavericks, combining high-quality football with clinical finishing to secure a convincing victory. The Tigers started brightly, putting Bedworth under pressure from the opening whistle and controlling possession early on. Despite this strong start, it was the hosts who opened the scoring against the run of play. The setback did little to disrupt the Tigers’ rhythm, and their response was immediate; sustained pressure and some excellent passages of play saw Jude pull the Tigers level with a well-taken finish. GNP continued to dominate proceedings. Declan converted a penalty after Malachi was brought down. Reece soon added a 3rd, before Jude struck again, sending the Tigers into the break with a deserved 4–1 advantage. The 2nd half followed a similar pattern, with the Tigers maintaining their intensity and quality. Jude completed his hat-trick early in the half with the Tigers’ fifth goal. A moment of magic then followed from Reece, who beat three players before unleashing a superb strike from outside the area to make it six. As the Tigers made changes, Bedworth applied more pressure and managed to score twice on the break. Any hopes of a comeback were quickly extinguished, however, as Declan added another for the Tigers before Reece capped a standout performance with yet another stunning long-range strike to complete his own hat-trick and seal an emphatic win. Reece deservedly voted Player of the Match by his teammates, capping off an outstanding individual display within an excellent all-around team performance. The match was played in excellent spirit throughout. Both Jude and Reece were deserved hat-trick heroes, while the overall team performance reflected the Tigers’ quality and togetherness. The victory was dedicated to Narinder, a GNP coach who sadly passed away earlier in the week. Full respect goes to Bedworth United’s management for facilitating a beautiful minute’s silence in his honour for all 6 teams present at the ground before kick-off.

GNP Under 12 Pumas vs Vision Pumas. The match started slowly for GNP, who conceded within the opening minutes. That early goal, however, served as a wake-up call. The Pumas grew into the game, began to control possession, and started creating chances. Their equaliser came when Lekan showed great determination, running through the defence before calmly finishing. Lekan was again at the heart of the action soon after, threading a clever pass through to Mason, who placed his shot neatly into the corner to give the Pumas the lead. The momentum continued, and within two minutes the advantage was extended. A well-delivered cross from Faris found Mason, who headed the ball down before producing a cool finish to score his second of the match. Vision added another goal, before Jaiden produced a moment of quality with a stunning free kick into the top left corner. The scoring was rounded off in style when a cross from Jaxx found Ziyaad, who finished brilliantly into the top corner for a wonderful goal. Overall, it was a very strong team performance from the Pumas, showing great character to bounce back from an early goal and deliver a dominant display filled with quality attacking football and some outstanding finishes.

Under 12 Jaguars were away to Coventry Future Juniors and produced a strong all-round performance in a hard-fought and physical encounter, dominating large spells of the game but ultimately having to settle for a goalless draw. The Jaguars created the better chances throughout, with efforts from Victor, Robin, Arjun C and Ahmed, whose powerful strike hit the post. Defensively the team were well organised, playing confidently out from the back and limiting the opposition mainly to long-range attempts. After the break, the Jaguars continued to push for what would have been a deserved winner, going close on several occasions and forcing sustained pressure in the final stages. Despite the lack of goals, it was a very positive team display that showed real progress. Player of the Match went to Victor for his relentless work rate and commitment. A performance full of effort, quality and togetherness, with plenty of positives to build on.

Under 12 Lions were up against Vision Warriors, in a game played on the 3G. Following on from last week’s 2-2 draw against Vision, hopes were high of a competitive game once again. However, from the first whistle, Vision were sharper and more aggressive than the Lions and raced into a 2-0 lead in the first 15 minutes. The Lions played their way back into the game and created a couple of 1v1s, but they could not find the back of the net. Vision extended their lead to 0-3 at half time. 2nd half, the teams contested another competitive half, the Lions did not take their chances and Vision added two more goals to end the game 0-5. Disappointnent after last weeks game, where the Lions conceded a last minute equaliser to draw 2-2, but they came across a more determined Vision today.