The year 7 football A team have had a very successful season, having completed a cup double, winning both the Sutton Cup and Surrey Cup. The students have been a pleasure to teach and coach throughout the year and have demonstrated time and again how they can take on board information and tactical knowledge alongside displaying their football talent.

After an excellent start to the season, scoring 14 in their first 4 games, the team unfortunately lost 3 matches in the space of 5 games during October—due to a combination of some good opposition and key moments going against them. However, this turned out to be the last time the team lost, as they went on a 22 game unbeaten streak that lasted from November 2023 until the season finished in May 2024. The culmination of this was a Sutton Cup final win vs Carshalton Boys School and a Surrey Cup final win vs Three Rivers School (banner photo, above).

The team have had some excellent results throughout the season and have shown their character on multiple occasions throughout the season, having to deal with decisions going against them or going behind in matches. One of the first opportunities to show this character was the second game of the season against Ravenswood School in the National Cup which went to penalties after a 2-2 draw. The shoot-out ended 4-2 to Wilson’s which required only 4 students to take penalties in which they all scored.

There have been many more matches in which they have held their nerve and shown this level of mental strength, including;

• The Sutton Cup semi final win vs Oaks Park School in which they were losing twice in the match, eventually leading 3-2 before conceding a dubious last minute penalty to take the match to extra time. Wilson’s quality and excellent attacking display then shone through and they came out 5-3 winners.

• The Sutton Cup final proved equally tight in which a 2-0 lead was wiped out with two very late goals to take the game to penalties. However, once again the team showed their composure and didn’t miss any penalties to win the Sutton Cup 2-2 (6-5 on penalties)

• The Surrey Cup semi final win vs Whitgift School which turned out to be one of the games of the season. Wilson’s went 1-0 down early on against a very good team, but a goal of the season strike from Harry put the year 7 A team back in the game and gave them the belief they could win. They then went 3-1 up in the game before conceding some late goals to take the game to extra time at 3-3. Whitgift then heaped the pressure on and went 4-3 up before a Sid last minute header at the end of extra time took the game to penalties. After an excellent performance throughout the game the Wilson’s students were resilient once again and fully deserved the 4-3 win on penalties which gave them an opportunity at winning the Surrey Cup - a feat not achieved by a year 7 team at Wilson’s for many years.

Playing stats
Played 30, Won 23, Drawn 4, Lost 3, Goals For 136, Goals Against 55, Goals Difference 81

Games Played, Goals Scored
1 Olivier 30 5
2 Pratyush 31 1
3 Harry 31 4
4 Sid 31 6
5 Zakariya 31
6 Kiaan 31 9
7 Jesse 31 15
8 Max 30 6
9 Raphael 30 10
10 Aayush 30 16
11 Aron 26 35