Sports Report – Short Half 2023, Week 8

Tuesday 7th November 2023

Football: JCA v University College School, ISFA Trophy Rd 2 (h)

After a week of relentless downpour, the ground staff faced a race against the clock to prepare a pitch suitable to play on and we were not disappointed. A fresh Bull's Drove awaited, which had not yet been graced by the elegant football of the high-flying JCAs, unbeaten in our last four, we looked to extend this run against UCS. We made the most of the hallowed ground of the rejuvenated Winchester pitch and we were sympathetic with our passes to each other, firm and along the floor through the slightly longer grass when they had to be. This pattern of passing the ball to each other naturally resulted in chances, and with the mighty strike force of Gabo Oluwabusola (B), Freddy Laarman (C) and Freddie Matthews (X), chances mean goals. And my oh my, we were not disappointed.

Gabo struck first from a corner, a wonderfully floated delivery from James Redfern (A) enjoying some of his best form in the white of Winchester College, met by the salmon-esque leap of Gabo who nodded in at the far post for 1-0. The ball was swiftly won from the UCS kick off, proving yet again that pressing does actually work. The ball was worked wide by a beautiful ball from our Cookite Xabi Alonso, Jesse Feyita (C), where Freddie Matthews unleashed a venomous shot which stung the palms of the UCS keeper where the ball fell kindly for Gabo who tapped home for 2-0 inside the opening 15 minutes. We were reminded that our opponents still had teeth to bare and they did so on the counter, their midfield breaking as a unit and playing a ball to their left winger who had got in behind our defence and placed his shot just over the bar. Warned and reinvigorated, we pressed high yet again and Gabo and Freddy L proved to be a defence’s' worst nightmare as Gabo bore down on the keeper, forcing him to play a weak pass, intercepted by Freddy who placed a shot well into the far corner. (3-0) The boys looked hungry and wanted more and when the time came to speed up our passing and create opportunities, we did. Prince Gbadewo (D) slipping in behind the back line to net his second in two appearances for 4-0.

We can really press. I can't believe I'm saying this but we really can. Gabo yet again haunting the keeper, forcing him into a weak pass into our midfield who then shifted the ball out wide to Gabo who cut the ball back into the centre where it caught the thigh of a defender and found its way into the net to make it 5. We weren't finished there. Gabo adding another to his tally in typical fashion to bring the score to 6-0.

Concentration, communication and Intensity were the watchwords at half time and it's a shame that all three of these things were missing as UCS capitalised on defensive errors to add a consolation. (6-1) The reaction was impressive from the boys as we looked to blow the game even further beyond doubt, angered by the opposition's attempt to get back into the game and a mazy run from fullback George Kashirin (E) who had been employed on the left wing, and he coolly finished into the bottom right corner. (7-1) As we returned to our first half levels of intensity, thee were a few moments of friction between us and the feisty opposition but we remained calm and composed and were set free out wide on the left again, George Kashirin driving to the by-line and playing a lovely ball into Gabo and realistically, what else was he going to do other than slot it home for his fourth and our eighth of the day. (8-1) An attack from UCS gave us the opportunity to counter - and counter we did, moving up as a group, our numbers proved too many for the opposition's defence and a ball from out wide was finished by Gabo for 9-1.

A convincing performance means we are through to the next round of the trophy and we have a tricky week of fixtures including Bradfield and Charterhouse twice in the space of the next week and a half as we look to continue our purple-patch of form. [Seb Browning (G)]

Netball v St Swithun’s (a)

On Tuesday the Netball 1st team travelled to play against St Swithun’s. The first quarter ended with a 5-8 score lead by St Swithun’s but some excellent defensive play from Olivia Pickard and Sanvee Prabhu helped to even out the score in the second quarter. The girls rallied and some tireless centre play from Darcy Goulston, Francesca Wyse and Cleo Kent ensured the girls kept the opposition on their toes. We saw some excellent goal scoring from the shooters Ines Brindle and Amara Moore which helped to keep up spirits. Unfortunately, we emerged from the game with a 12-29 loss however the girls played excellently and showcased teamwork and skill as the first netball team. This was also the debut match for some new members to the team including Cleo Kent, Amilie Skinner and Sanvee Prabhu who have all shown themselves to be excellent additions to the group. Well done to everyone. (Ines Brindle)

Thursday 9th November 2023

Basketball v Canford School (a)

Winchester 1st team started much as they had in previous games, too much individual and unconnected play, but this week they responded to coaching very well and started to establish some shape and organisation. By half time we were ahead by 10 points, but even though we looked the stronger side the final result was still unpredictable. In the second half, however, Winchester worked together, ran plays and defended more intelligently, and Canford could not cope with the speed of Yi, the physical domination of our interior players and guards passing more confidently and running plays. In the end the score reflected the fact that Winchester set a high standard of team play that they will hopefully carry on into the rest of the season. W55-25 [LNT]

Fencing v Wellington College (a)

A valiant effort from the Epee team saw their match come down to the last point. When both fencers are at a draw, priority is given: a pen is thrown, and whichever side it points at gets the priority, meaning in the next minute, if no one gets a point, the side with the priority wins. Otherwise, whoever gets a point wins. This time, Wellington had the priority, and time ran out before Win:Coll could get their point. (Callum MacBean)

Foil A 35:45 Wellington Epee A 42: 43 Wellington

Fives v Marlborough College

U18B’s Won: 56-24 U14A’s Won: 163-121

1st XI Football v Brighton College, ISFA Trophy 2nd Rd (h): Won: 3-1

The games are coming thick and fast which happens when you win your cup games. This was another good game for Soccer XI against Brighton College. It started at a fast pace and both teams were playing some lovely stuff and then up stepoped Euan Woodworth, free kick on the right 10 yards into Brighton's half. He whipped in a ball that caught the keeper slightly of his line and he could only flip the ball onto the underside of the bar and into the net to put us 1 up. We continued to put them under pressure and from another Euan free kick, the captain Alex glanced a header into the top right hand corner.

2-0 at half time and the message again was to manage the game and play at our pace. Give credit to Brighton as they looked to press and put us under more pressure but we held firm. Pressure on the Brighton defenders led to Jad Garlick, making his 1st XI debut, picking up a deflected ball to stride forward and stroke the ball left footed over the advancing keeper to pretty much seal the game. Despite conceding in the last seconds we won the game 3-1. Sherborne in the next round at the end of the month with hopefully continued victories bringing more games for the boys. [JRD].

Rackets: Junior Fixture v Clifton College and Haileybury (h)

This was a day primarily designed to get 1st year and inexperienced boys match experience. Two schools came to visit, Clifton and Haileybury, the former bring a team of 7 boys and the latter 6 boys and 2 girls.

The format followed a one game ‘shoot-out’ with a fresh partner each time with the year-groups also being mixed. Lots of matches were completed throughout the afternoon with many wins, some losses and a few really tight contests. It was gratifying to see so many parents attending.

Casper Wilson, Sam Barklam, Theo Lees, Eddie Wheeler, Edward Lee, Casper Jack all displayed promising potential. (TERC)

Squash v Radley College (a)

U16A’s Won

U15A’s Lost

Saturday 11th November

Football v Bradfield College

Soccer XI welcomed one of the strongest school on the circuit, be it their 2nd XI, but from previous experience they are always so strong across all the teams.

What a start we had; on the front foot pressing and winning many battles in the opponent’s half and we were able to punish them. Firstly after great work from the midfield three to create a half chance in the box, Ethan was able to smash the ball home. We continued to create and after a few more chances Jad again smashed in the second to put us in a commanding position. To top off a great first half, an Alex throw-in missile caused problems in the Bradfield box and resulted in a hand ball for a penalty. Alex comfortably slotted home to put us 3 nil up at half time.

In the second half we have to give Bradfield credit as they pushed forward for goals and began to dominate possession but we held firm, except for one mistake that made the final 10 minutes a little nervy but we held on for a fantastic win. A great game and enjoyable to watch and so pleased for the boys. Whitgift next up in the ISFA Cup, but you never know........ W3-1 [JRD]

Gover’s mighty 2nd XI returned to their home of Bull’s Drove with an interest to make it three wins running. Facing Bradfield with a modified squad and no mid-week training, it would prove to be a tough battle. Within the opening minutes, Winchester had secured a free kick on the outside of the box, and there was no doubt in selecting the man for the job. Bosco certainly rose to the occasion, firing a bullet towards the top left-hand corner which struck the bar. Fortunately, Charlie Barklam was there to finish the job, leaving Winchester ahead at 1-0. However, suffering from a lack of intensity and an inability to match the uniquely speedy strikers, Bradfield took advantage and promptly pocketed an equaliser. And another. And one more. Fortunately, we managed to take a page out of the 1st XI’s book, as we capitalised on our set pieces from a corner right before the break: a messy scramble, but a tidy finish from promising debutant Bailey Clark.

With half time upon us, Mr Gover and Mr Good instilled a more determined mindset into the squad, and we set out to produce a comeback. Perhaps too determined, Winchester took up a game of brute force. Giving away silly fouls here and there, we quickly conceded a penalty, agonisingly bringing the differential back to two. While we attacked determinedly, the final ingredient wasn’t quite there, and our desire to take nothing less than victory eventually came back to bite us in that of another penalty. Ending the game at 5-2, I would dare to say that the game was much tighter than the final scoreline suggests. (Charlie B)

3rd XI (h) L1-4

The 4ths arrived at Lords a bit rusty seeing as rained stopped play on many occasions for the last two weeks. It was the second leg of our fixture against Bradfield. Last time out, we won narrowly in an aggressive 2-1, so we knew we were in for a tough game. We started off well, stringing some wonderful passes together on the right side and we were soon rewarded when Jason Nzewi drilled one into the bottom corner to put us ahead. Fatigue hit in with some nervy moments before the second half, as the opposition hit the bar twice. The half-time whistle coming at the right time.

The momentum was clearly with Bradfield. However, with some inspiring words from Dr Townson, Martin gave us that 2-goal cushion we really needed. Our opponents were pushing to get one back, but the defence was solid, Felix Oliver impressing on debut. Bradfield were soon rewarded with their first goal coming from a header in the top corner. We lacked a bit of composure in the midfield, with most of our attacks being on the counter. Saying that the second half was much more balanced, with shots from both boxes. Unfortunately, in the last five minutes, a lapse in concentration at the back post as Bradfield equalised. Both sides kept pushing (with extra support from the Headmaster) but it ended in a stalemate. A tough draw to take being in the lead, however, Bradfield did dominate possession and had the better chances, so a draw was probably the deserved result. Thank you to Dr Townson for refereeing and having to deal with another rowdy Bradfield side and an uncharacteristically aggressive Winchester team. [Aneesh Kulkarni (E, VI:I)]

5th XI (h): Lost 0-1

6th XI (h): Lost 1-3

SCA went down 6-1 to an excellent Bradfield side. The score was 4-0 inside 20 minutes, but thereafter the team acquitted themselves well, particularly after James Kennedy came off the bench to start bossing the midfield. The highlight was a stunning goal from Isaac Claisse: a freekick bent into the top corner. MoM: Claisse [RJHM]

0-0 might sound like a Sam Alardyce result from his last days at Bolton, but that against Bradfield produced a thoroughly enjoyable match for the SCCs which could have been so, so different. Bradfield hit the woodwork twice and had blasted a penalty over the bar, and Winchester peppered the Bradfield goal in both halves like a particularly spicy steak. Alex "twinkle-toes" Simpson and Matthew Cave both danced their way through defenders only to place their shots wide or into the gloves of the Bradfield keeper. Vardhan Mehrota and Rufus Winkley also made life difficult for the opposition left and right backs, pulling them out of position before cutting inside. Lachlan Lui, playing his first match for Winchester, conquered his nerves and the fact that most of the Bradfield players were well over 6'2" to play some excellent through balls, and both Ryosuke Nakao and Jensen Kwong turned on the afterburners to leave their oppositive numbers standing. In defence, Kyven Casadevall Tan and Alex Parkinson snuffed out most Bradfield attacks down the centre before breaking forward to start the next Winchester attack. Alex de Vrieze and Will Higgs both timed their interventions to snap the ball off Bradfield toes. Man of the match though went to Luke Edwards who was a hero against a towering Bradfield forward line. Indeed, Bradfield would have won the game without Luke - a goal bound shot left the otherwise exemplary Will Hagger stranded, but Luke read its flight perfectly and put his body to block and clear. A tie was the right result from a thoroughly entertaining game. D0-0 (MR)

The SCDs travelled to Bradfield after losing at home 13-1. We started out confidently, with Phol Suksriwong (H) and Matthew Sneller (X) both leading attacking plays. Unfortunately, at the end of the first half, we had failed to convert any of these chances, including a near miss from Tom Simpson (A) (0-0 HT).

Following some inspiring words from our coach and despite being a man down, Bradfield was playing with ten men so we had to match that, we played better football than ever before this season. Finally, after ten minutes of constant pressure from Matthew and Alex Grant-Goodey (H), we regained possession within our own half. A nice pass from Theo Fergusson (F) to Tom to Anton Oliver (H) who switched it across to Matthew who then dribbled past 2 defenders and slotted it bottom corner. Our second goal came when Theo Munaretto Day (F) stole the ball from their right back, dribbled past a swarm of centre-backs and then smashed into the side netting. Later on, the referee acknowledged a foul and awarded a penalty. Yash Sawhney (I) took it but it was saved (2-0 FT). Some honourable mentions to Alex who was a brick wall in defence and Phol for his outstanding performance in the midfield. [Theo Fergusson (F)]

The JCAs took to the rather tired surface of Hock to meet our opponents We got underway and played some good passing football, sympathetic with our passages of play to each other and we crafted some inroads and found ourselves in the box and won a penalty. Gabriel Oluwabusola (B) stepped up to take and slotted past the Bradfield keeper for 1-0. We held this lead for a good 15 minutes, however we grew more reserved in our play as we looked to preserve our slender lead and as Everton show every week, defending for three quarters of the game doesn't usually go well, and unfortunately we were not an exception. A few quality players in the middle of the park for our opposition meant we were up against it physically and technically. A Bradfield midfielder walked through us and cut us open with a well weighted pass and laid the ball off to the right back who unleashed a powerful shot which found its way past an unsighted Seb (G) for 1-1. We let heads drop and we found ourselves 2 and then 3-1 down fairly swiftly. We worked the ball up the pitch then lost it in the final third and were too slow to recover and conceded a fourth on the counter.

Half time gave some insight as to what had worked well and not so well and we went out refreshed with the intention to turn the game around. We held the ball well for the first 5 minutes of the half and then we made the mistake of attempting to force passes which weren't on, leading to Bradfield having plenty of good opportunities in the attacking third. This pressure eventually told as the Bradfield right winger escaped his man and was tackled by Seb. In fairness to Seb, this tackle was fair and the winger did make a meal of it. In fairness to the winger, Seb came quite quickly and angrily at him. In fairness to our referee Mr Taylor, it was difficult to tell what had actually happened in the box. The pen was awarded and slotted for 5-1. The sixth and seventh goals both came courtesy of breaks and we perhaps didn't do ourselves justice with the scoreline. The boys must now regroup and we go again against Charterhouse in the cup. [Seb Browning (G)]

Whilst Bradfield were clearly the better team, Winchester JCBs were more competitive than the overall 3-6 scoreline suggests. A number of players had their best performances of the season, particularly Deniz (H) in hew new roll of enforcer CDM, but their superior ability and some clinical finishing did make Bradfield (H) deserved clear winners. Aaron scored the goal for the home side. [JCP]

Junior Colts C (h): Lost 1-11

Junior Colts D (h): Lost 4-5

The JCEs gave their all against a technically and athletically superior Bradfield side. Nathan Lenoble managed to score Winchester's only goal and showed particular grit and determination in his standout performance. Ultimately, however, the Bradfield players' physical prowess enabled them to take charge of this encounter and come out comfortable winners. L1-9 [JL]

Wow. In 15 years of running football teams at Winchester I can say for certain that I have never seen a Winchester side play with the passion and intensity that the Yearlings A approached their game on Saturday. The fire had been well and truly stoked throughout the preceding week, including by some old school friends of a few of our players who were amongst our hosts for this game. Catsaras and Hunt were our early leaders on the field as we set about pressing with great intensity, conscious that we could not allow Bradfield any time on the ball, and they were strongly encouraged by our vociferous subs bench, with Husband in particular encouraging and praising every press and tackle that those on the field made. In amongst the heat of the occasion, an interesting tactical exchange developed too, with Hoskin seeking to get forward from left back more often but then Bradfield regularly looked to exploit the space left in behind. Fortunately, Bilfinger was the calmest head on the pitch and nullified most of these threats; Hawthorne also swept up well and showed good hands and presence in goal.

As the game moved into its second quarter we began to create a few more chances. Aighe was beginning to find some space in behind and Odogwu found some success against the left back. Ultimately, it was another good press that brought about our best chance as the Bradfield centre back made an error on the ball which allowed Aighe through on goal. He calmly rounded the onrushing keeper and passed into the goal with his left foot after 24 minutes. Hawthorne was brave coming off his line again before the break to keep us ahead.

Bradfield began the second half strongly and drew more action from Hawthorne. Set pieces created some problems for us and Bradfield found an equaliser 6 minutes into the half. Hawthorne had done well with his first save but the ball alluded his efforts to keep it out and trickled over the line. A sense of determination from our team, however, ensured we responded positively. Hawkins, now at right back, was getting more involved in our attacking play and found himself up for a set piece. After the first phase was only partially cleared, we were able to recycle and deliver again and Hawkins added the final toe poke after a brief scramble in the 6 yard box. The infectious support of Aighe and others from the subs bench was seeping through to our travelling faithful by now and, as other games finished, our support grew. A few players were out on their feet towards the closing stages and the rolling subs were pivotal in us being able to sustain our effort throughout the game. McGregor, Baring and Bilfinger remained calm in defence and Aighe a constant problem for the Bradfield defence. Hunt, the only outfielder to play every minute continued to break down the Bradfield play in midfield and it might well have been us to score the next goal on a few occasions. When the final whistle confirmed our victory the boys were ecstatic and fully deserving of the praise that came their way from our host coaches and the supporting parents.

Post game, Mr Flynn reminded the boys about trying to give the player next to you the game of their lives and how each of them had seemingly done that in this game. The intensity had been outstanding on the field and the support for one another from all 15 had been amazing in this performance that the side will now look to repeat against our next opponents. W1-2 [JMB]

Yearlings B (a): Lost 1-8

Bradfield is always a tricky opposition especially when you gift them 3 or 4 goals by playing out badly from the back as the Yearlings B did. The hoof it long option (that we discussed on Thursday) should have been taken more quickly. Nevertheless, I was impressed by the team spirit in the second half. The aggressive press put Bradfield under pressure and they started to make mistakes that we took advantage of, scoring one. Well done Cem! Football is a confidence game, and with confidence came some neat passing, particularly from Mathieu who was our player of the match. With one win from the final two matches, we can still have a winning season. [PAH]

This was a challenging match against a very strong side indeed and the Yearlings Cs were under a great deal of pressure from the off. We managed to hold off the onslaught in the early stages of the game but a soft goal for Bradfield approximately half way through opened the scoring and two other great efforts from long range took them into the break 3-0 up. The pattern of play initially continued during the start of the second half when three other goals were added in relatively quick succession. Thereafter, Winchester managed to find their feet a little and apply some pressure to Bradfield keeping them in their own half for a good ten minutes, which up to this stage had been a rarity. We were unable to convert however, and Bradfield finished convincing winners in what had been a very strong performance by an excellent side. That said, our team had played some of the best football seen so far this year and could hold their heads high that they had managed to trade some blows at certain points of the game. L6-0 [SJM]

The Yearlings of D embarked on the match with commendable vigour, assertively challenging the Bradfield defence. Winchester's defensive line remained impenetrable for a significant portion of the initial half. However, the equilibrium was disrupted at the 22-minute mark when a swift counter-attack culminated in a decisive shot within the box, finding its home in the right corner of the goal. As the first half drew to a close, Bradfield held a slender lead of 1-0. Tactical adjustments saw Majd replacing Rosco and George stepping in for Bibee. Winchester, rejuvenated, initiated the second half with renewed pressure on their adversaries. The match witnessed a ballet of intricate passes and fierce midfield duels, creating scoring chances at both ends. A pivotal moment arose when Winchester committed a foul within their own penalty area, leading to a Bradfield penalty that further extended their lead to 2-0. Despite strategic substitutions, Winchester found themselves unable to penetrate Bradfield's defence. In a twist of fate, Bradfield capitalized on a counter-attack to notch their third goal. The encounter, rich in skill and strategy, was a closely fought contest, demonstrating the unpredictability and thrill inherent in the beautiful game. Lost 0-3 [PM]

The match that the Yearlings E played against Bradfield’s Es was a fierce battle from the start – in part due to the cold, muddy, and rugged pitch, in part due to the very short halves, and in part due to the level of skill of the opposition, who previously beat our Yearlings D team. The first few minutes saw the Es struggle to find their rhythm, though the team remained cohesive and focused under the guidance of our captain Monty Helliwell (B). Unfortunately, Bradfield dominated the first half with an unrelenting attack and secured two goals. The second half also started with a lovely Bradfield finish, extending the deficit to three. Despite this, the team kept their nerves and kept battling, relentlessly pressing Bradfield and making good runs into the final third. This effort paid off, as Harry Currie (G) crowned the coaches’ hope to see Winchester score, with some great movement and a composed finish. All in all, it was a satisfying result, especially when paired with the never-failing E’s positivity and supportive attitude. Lost 1-3 [JOC]

Rowing:

We travelled to Bryanston for a day of training alongside their athletes at their boathouse. The water at Bryanston was unfortunately too high to row on but that did not dampen the mood. We split the group in half, J15’s were outside first while the girls and J16’s were inside on the ergs. The outside task was a combination of tyre flipping and other exercises on a sodden grass area leaving everyone very muddy. Teams from both schools combined in some events so there was a great amount of cooperative teamwork taking place within a competitive environment. To finish the day off there was a Bryanston vs Winchester tug of war, sadly we lost the tug of war 2 -1. Some hot chocolate and brownies set us on our way back to Winchester!

Saturday 11th & Sunday 12th November

Golf: Aldington Match v OWs(h)

Saturday Singles result: Winchester College 5 – 2 OWs

An excellent 5-3 win against a strong OW team. In defence of their Aldington title, the school team produced some first-class golf while in many cases having to give a number of shots too. There was some very high quality golf with several players, across both teams being under par gross. Perhaps the most notable of these was Ray Sanmathy's gross 68, which lead to a convincing victory in his match. [RMoore]

Sunday Greensomes result:

Winchester College 3 - 1 OWs

In a very tight match against a very strong OW pair, our top foursomes pair of Isaac Haines & Seb Wells were not quite able to transfer their winning streak to the altered format. 2up early over the first 6 holes and things were looking good but the wily OWs clawed their way back with a few impressive birdies to take the lead 1up through 13 holes. Winchester were then unable to bring the game back as the experience played a crucial role in closing out the match in favour of the OWs. I Haines (I)

Being second out, Redfern and Sanmathy faced two formidable, veteran players as their opposition for the day and giving 3 shots to the OW pair made the task of winning no easier. An exceptional chip in for birdie by Ray at the 7th combined with a display of excellent ball striking and putting from the two created strong momentum in favour of the College pair, as they cruised to a 4&2 victory against the experienced OWs. R Sanmathy (E).

The young pairing of Ho and Andreasen started very well; some fruitful approach play from Andreasen meant they reached 2 under after 6 holes, and a 2 hole lead. Giving a number of shots to their opponents, maintaining this lead proved very tough and so, despite some excellent scoring, Winchester found themselves 2 behind with 4 holes remaining. On the 15th, two wonderful shots from Ho allowed the pair to convert, winning the hole and reduce the deficit to 1. The 16th hole was halved and so, giving a shot to the OWs on the 17th, things looked bleak. However, another spectacular drive from Ho and a solid approach, left Andreasen to hole a fantastic 25ft putt to bring the match all square. The youngsters weren't phased going down 18 and, under pressure won the closing hole too to take the match on the final green. S. Andreasen (A)

Veteran pairing Sood and Hampel brought up the rear, playing against their former captain Adrien Joly (H). Some extremely steady greensomes golf, with 15 pars, a birdie and a bogey won the pair the match 2&1 with a gross score of level par. This was an impressive victory in the Aldington Match - having won the event for the first time in its history last year, to retain the title this year by a wider margin against a stronger opposition team, was a fantastic result. T Sood (X).

Overall Aldington Match Result: Winchester College 11 - 5 OWs

All fixtures details can be found on: https://sportsfixtures.winchestercollege.org/

Sporting quote for the week:

“Once you learn to quit, it becomes a habit”. Vince Lombardi, Former NFL coach

M.S. Burley

Director of Sport

14th November 2023

X: @WinCollSports