ISFA Finals

The U11 Boys ISFA (Independent Schools Football Association) finals at St. George’s Park on Tuesday showcased some of the nation’s most promising young football talent and Cheam was fortunate enough to be one of the 24 teams who made there.

Throughout the first-round matches, the team, who haven’t played a fixture since December, displayed a remarkable level of defensive strength, frustrating opposing teams with their well-organized backline and tactical discipline. Despite facing formidable opponents, they remained resolute and focused, showcasing their ability to absorb pressure and deny scoring opportunities. In attack, the short 6-minute halves made scoring a challenge, but the boys managed to break down some very good defences on a few occasions, most notably drawing even with a strong New Beacon team. It was, however, a last-minute winner against The Perse that had the whole team buzzing and full of optimism about making the next round. Unfortunately, in a winner-takes-all decider against St Paul’s, the boys were put to the sword against a superb attacking team who had just finished a spring term football season.

While the tournament journey ended at the group stages, with a record of one win, two draws and two losses, the five points achieved placed them in 15th place overall for the  day. This was a great achievement and one they can look back on proudly. A massive thank you to the parents who came to support the boys and to the staff who put in a huge, often unseen, amount of effort behind the scenes. Well done boys!