By Isle of Wight Observer
The Isle of Wight U-11 beach soccer team made an impressive mark at the Beach Fest in Bournemouth on Sunday. Competing in the U-13 category, the young team showcased exceptional talent and determination, defying age and physical differences to compete against fourteen other teams across three groups.
The team’s preparation was bolstered by a special training session with England beach soccer stars, Cam O’Rourke and Connor Henderson, who shared their expertise in mastering bicycle kicks.
This preparation equipped the boys to face the tournament’s challenges with confidence.
The Island team began with a narrow loss to Ridgeway U-13 in a closely contested match. Undeterred, they bounced back, with a commanding 3-0 victory over Dexters Sports, followed by a thrilling 3-2 win against Enfield Town. In their final group game, they faced the formidable BRS team and secured a 1-0 win, clinching the top spot in their group.
In the quarter-finals the IW team, dominated LTD Warriors, achieving a comfortable 3-0 win, with goals from Harry Prangnell (2) and Theo Barton. The semi-final saw them face Wimborne Town, who had topped their group. The Island boys rose to the occasion, delivering an outstanding performance and winning 1-0, with Tate scoring the only goal. Defender, Denys Yershov, and goalkeeper, Artem Yershov, were stand-out performers.
The final was a rematch against BRS. IW took the lead with a superb flick by Ronnie Broadbent. However, BRS scored two goals to take the lead. Denys levelled the score with a stunning free kick, taking the game into extra time. Despite their valiant efforts, the boys conceded a goal in the last 30 seconds, with the final score at 2-3 to BRS.
The IW team is now looking forward to the Mid-Solent Division A football league, eager to build on this experience.