The Year 8 kicked off the new school football season with an impressive performance against King Henry VIII School, Abergavenny last night.
The game was the first to be played on the 3G pitch and the boys certainly enjoyed competing on this excellent surface which is certainly going to prove conducive to the type of football we want to play.
After suffering only a single defeat in the Cup last season, the team are looking to build on the progress made throughout this year. However, despite starting well the boys fell behind to a goal against the run of play. They continued to aim to keep possession of the ball and work an opening and went close on a number of occasions, only being denied by some excellent goalkeeping and on one occasion the post from a rasping Jack Steele drive. It remained 1-0 at half time.
The second half continued in much the same way as the first and there were chances at both ends. However, it was Ebbw Fawr who grabbed an equaliser from Sam Phillips after some quality link up play between Sam and the impressive Ben Pearce. The equaliser was no more than the boys deserved and further goals quickly followed from Iestyn Gwilliam and Callum Joyce. Changes were made and King Henry did manage to grab a second, before goals from Liam Davies and a second from Iestyn Gwilliam gave the scoreline a more realistic feel.
Mason Bartlett was a dominant figure in goals and both Ieuan Evans and Matthew Pearce were rock solid at the back. Callum Joyce was impressive throughout the game playing out wide and both Sam Phillips and Iestyn Gwilliam linked well up front.
A pleasing start to the new season, with a lot of things to work on ready for the next game against Abertillery.