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A long drive up to Kent was required for our Harris Cup semi final against Harris Riverside. Played on a tight pitch in front of a baying, hostile crowd, the match went the full distance before Stanley’s sprawling save dramatically secured the team’s voyage into the Harris Cup Final!

The game started closely with neither team able to assert their dominance on a congested AstroTurf. Harris Riverside eventually made the breakthrough after a free kick was palmed onto the crossbar from Stanley, but the rebound bundled in for 1-0.

Harris Boys’ fought back quickly and a brilliant ball out from Louis freed Oliver whose presence panicked the goalkeeper and ended up with Aaron converting a side foot half-volley into an open net for 1-1.

Edwin Van Der Stanley came to our aid again with a full stretch save to tip over a dipping shot. Next time we weren’t to be so fortunate as Harris Riverside carved open our defence and scored with a lovely lob for 2-1. However, this Year 10 team have made a habit of showing their rock solid resilience and hit back immediately for the second time, Aaron dancing past his defender and rifling a low shot into the corner for his, and our, second to send us in at half-time 2-2.

The crowd started to gather as the school day finished, and a cauldron atmosphere was developing in the second half. This gave Riverside some extra life and their pressure finally told after a scramble in our area was rammed home to make it 2-3. Another goal would have killed off the tie and they looked certain to score with a cut back to the edge of the six yard box, but somehow Stanley made an incomprehensible reaction save to deflect the ball over the bar to the crowd’s distress right behind him.

Riverside lived to regret that miss as minutes later Casper played a long, bouncing ball over the top for Oliver who got there ahead of the goalkeeper to lift the ball over him and nestle into the back of the net for 3-3. Next goal would win the game and Riverside would have snatched it, were it not for Hector’s combination of courage and lack of self-preservation instincts. A loose ball pinballed in the penalty area and flicked up into the air, a Riverside steal would have resulted in a goal until Hector threw his head at the ball to clear, while also taking the attacker’s forehead square in the face. Battered and bruised we made it to the final whistle!

A draw in normal time led straight into a penalty shootout and Harris Boys’ heroes stepped up bravely to take one: Oliver, Casper, Thomas, Aaron, Louis, Hamed, Omar, Ishmael all confidently converted their penalties for a 100% record, then Stanley capped an incredible goalkeeping performance by beating away a thunderous penalty to send us into the final!

Mr Cooper