1st XI Football take the title
By OBHS 1st XI Football | Posted: Thursday August 22, 2024
After school on Wednesday this week, the OBHS 1st XI football team competed against John McGlashan College in the Secondary Schools Premier Division Final held at Forsyth Barr Stadium.
Having previously lost in a tightly contested game against John McGlashan 1-0 a few weeks ago, the boys were rearing to get a result. We had been preparing for this fixture for many weeks. It was clear that most of the boys were nervous, but after a good warm up and final talks in the changing rooms we were in a good mind space and well prepared for the game.
The game started very evenly with both teams producing several half chances. Fifteen minutes into the first half John McGlashan College won the ball back high up the field and broke down the left side. They whipped in a dangerous cross to the far post. With the ball bouncing in the area, their number 18 passed it into the top right of the goal.
After this setback the boys responded really well and had the perfect reaction to going 1-0 down, creating many chances to take the lead. Luke Marsh and Ethan Des Fountain had the best of these chances. With five minutes left in the first half, a lobbed ball into the box from Niila Robertson allowed Fraser Anderson to contest with their goalkeeper, the ball ending up in the back of the net coming off Fraser's boot. The half ended 1-1 with OBHS carrying all of the momentum.
OBHS came out even stronger in the second half, creating countless chances. John McGlashan started to resort to a more direct style of football aiming to attack up through the pace they had up front. With four minutes left of the game, the ball ended up at Lochie Ing-aram's feet after Ruie Hyslop tackled the opposition. Lochie released a well-timed through ball for Ethan to run onto and SMASH past the keeper, scoring to make it 2-1. With seconds left on the clock, Toby Orchiston was fouled in the box allowing Luke Marsh to calmly convert the penalty securing the win. We rounded out the game with a 3-1 win to OBHS, bringing the trophy back home to Otago Boys' for the 4th time in 5 years.
Overall Otago Boys' played some great football, taking our chances towards the end of the game. The 1st XI hope to take this momentum into the Senior Premier Football Tournament being held in Auckland next month.
We would also like to thank everyone who came along to support the players and create a great atmosphere inside the stadium, all the players really appreciated this support.
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