It was great to get the football season off to a good start with an array of matches against Kent College, Ardingly, Rose Hill and St Michaels.
The pitches were very soft, but playable and to get on the grass for the first time this season and play some skillful football with lots of goals was a real plus after all the wet weather over the previous months.
The 1st, 3rd and 4th Teams travelled to Ardingly and played on the 9 acre pitches which were a long way from the school. With soft footing and long grass, the ball didn’t roll and it was really hard work, but the level of play was very good from all teams.
1st Team Football
Holmewood House 1st team travelled to Ardingly to kick off the football season. They got off to a strong start, with the defenders, Trixie and Iris, holding their positions well allowing the forward players to display their creativity in more forward positions up the pitch. Holmewood got off to a quick start taking a 3-0 lead through goals from Shekinah, Bella and Clemmie before getting pegged back with some unstoppable shots sailing past a very capable Tillie in goal. Starting the second half, 3-2, Holmewood added a bit more vigour and bite into their approach to 50/50 challenges and overwhelmed the opposition, with good energy from Lavinia and Nilaya helping add that bit extra we needed to run away with the game. The goals were shared around the team brilliantly with Bella, Trixie, Lavinia, Shekinah and Clemmie adding to the scoresheet to take the game to an impressive 8-4 win. The girl of the game was awarded by the opposition to Clemmie. AF
2nd Team Football
3rd Team Football
The 3rd team faced a strong and physical Ardingly 2nd team, made up of big, powerful players. From the start, the girls had to work incredibly hard to move the ball around the pitch and create opportunities.
There were some fantastic attacking runs from Antonia, who came so close to finding the back of the net. Bella and Ffion showed great energy and commitment on the wings, constantly supporting both attack and defence. In the centre, Charlotte C took on a more defensive role and worked tirelessly to break up play.
In defence, Perdie and Alicia had a very challenging task protecting Amaia in goal. Despite their determined efforts, it was difficult to keep Ardingly’s strong attack at bay, and Holmewood unfortunately lost 7–0.
However, the scoreline does not reflect the team’s spirit. The girls never stopped working, never let their heads drop, and showed real strength of character throughout the match. Very well done, girls! SP
4TH Team Football
The 4th team began the match with real energy, putting together some excellent passes to dominate possession and spend much of the game on the attack. Their positive start quickly set the tone.
Ottilie was a strong presence in the middle, working tirelessly between attack and defence. Early in the match, a handball in the defensive box resulted in a penalty, which Ottilie calmly and confidently slotted into the goal.
Eleanor made some fantastic runs down the right wing, showing great determination as she drove forward to deliver crosses into the box for Lottie H. On the opposite wing, Megan struck the ball powerfully and with confidence, creating further attacking opportunities.
Anna performed brilliantly in her first football match, following instructions carefully and making important clearances in defence alongside Charlotte, who grew increasingly influential as the game progressed. In goal, Rebecca was extremely alert, collecting the ball early and confidently whenever needed. On the few occasions Ardingly entered the box, she was quick to gather the ball and send it back up the pitch.
Holmewood delivered a fine team performance to secure a well-deserved 2–1 victory. Very well done, girls — I look forward to the next match against St Andrew’s! SP
Senior Girls 1st, 3rd football teams v Ardingly
U11A Football
U11A Girls’ Football vs Kent College
On a lovely warm, sunny afternoon, the U11A team kicked off their season with an impressive home performance against Kent College.
Holmewood House started brightly and raced into a two-goal lead within the opening five minutes. Their energy and attacking intent set the tone early, and by half-time they had extended their advantage to three goals, with Alice M having very little to do at the other end thanks to a dominant defensive display.
The second half followed a similar pattern. Although Kent College proved increasingly stubborn in defence, Holmewood House continued to control possession and create chances. Their persistence paid off with a fourth goal to round off an excellent all-round team performance.
Result:
Holmewood House 4–0 Kent College
Scorers:
Darcy Q (2)
Darcie F (1)
Amalie R (1) BC
U11B Football
The girls U11 B Team delivered a strong performance to beat Kent College 4–1. They started well and deservedly took the lead, before KC equalised just before half-time to make it 1–1 at the break. In the second half, the girls stepped up their game, scoring three excellent goals to secure an impressive and well-earned victory. WM
U10A Football
Opening match of the football season and the U10A’s came out victorious. After a strong first half where the girls dominated possession, they were unable to convert the many chances they created, but showed strong positional awareness and teamwork to hit the back of the net in the second half. 1-0 win, POM awarded to Winter. KB
U10B football
U10B’s had a super start to their football season, playing Kent College in the sunshine. We dominated play in the first half but failed to score. After a half time chat, we went out and managed a quick goal. Amidst celebrations, Kent College pulled back with an equaliser. Holmewood girls with a bit more confidence pushed and after a few more attempts another goal hit the net. Winning 2-1. POM was awarded to Tolu. KB
U9 Football
The U9 girls enjoyed a fun and lively afternoon of football here at Holmewood. It was wonderful to see them all out on the pitch, playing with enthusiasm and clearly enjoying the game.
There was some excellent dribbling into space, with several players showing growing confidence on the ball. Passing and tackling are areas we will continue to work on in training, but the effort and determination on display were fantastic to see.
With only one training session on the netball courts before the match, the girls performed incredibly well and achieved an array of results. Very well done to all the girls — a great team effort! SP
U8 Football
Our U8s played their very first football matches on Thursday — and it was also the debut outing for their shiny new football boots, which didn’t stay shiny for long! The muddy St Michael’s pitch provided the perfect setting for our girls to begin learning about match play, especially on pitches that felt rather large at first. They all had a fantastic afternoon and showed great determination and enthusiasm throughout. It was wonderful to see how much progress they made as the matches went on. Special mentions go to Arabella, Naomi, Sophie, Ariella and Artemis for their non-stop energy on the pitch and for finding the back of the net — well done, girls! KB
