With their scheduled opposition pulling out late, Shire Colts U15 Pumas were offered a last-minute fixture by Port of Bristol U16 Greens. The coaches quickly pulled together a mixed squad of 8 Pumas, 2 Panthers and 3 trialists to take on the older side. On a hot August afternoon, the game was agreed to be played in four 20-minute quarters to allow coaching breaks, substitutions and plenty of water.

On the 3G pitch, the heat was energy-sapping and with defenders in short supply, many of the boys found themselves playing out of position. But the commitment, determination and attitude never wavered, with everyone giving their all for the team.

First Quarter
Shire started brightly, dominating possession and looking strong in attack. The makeshift back line also looked solid, using the offside trap well to frustrate POB’s dangerous number 9, Brandon, who was a constant threat on the counter. Shire created plenty of opportunities but couldn’t find the breakthrough. The first quarter ended goalless, but Shire had made a real statement against the older and more physical home side.

Second Quarter
The second period followed a similar pattern. On 15 minutes, Shire came close to their reward. A clever flick-on in midfield by Ziyad released Charlie, making his debut for Shire, who slalomed past several defenders before being brought down for a penalty. Ziyad stepped up but saw his spot-kick saved by the POB keeper. Moments later, Shire were punished as POB broke quickly, Brandon beating the offside trap and rounding Arlo to make it 1-0. The boys went into half-time behind, but proud of their efforts and performance.

Third Quarter
After half-time, and with changes made, POB enjoyed their strongest spell, putting Shire under pressure and forcing the boys to defend deep. But against the run of play, Shire struck back. Harry Dunn raced clear on the counter, showed great composure to round the keeper and slotted home to level at 1-1 going into the final 20 minutes.

Fourth Quarter
Buoyed by the equaliser, Shire started the final quarter on the front foot. Just three minutes in, Harry once again broke through, this time smashing home from the edge of the box to put Shire 2-1 up. POB, though, didn’t fold, and levelled on 65 minutes after a cross was only half-cleared to the edge of the box, where an unmarked midfielder drilled it home.

Shire’s response was immediate and emphatic. Harry Dunn completed his hat-trick with another composed finish before Monga, back in his favoured left-wing role, capped a superb final quarter by rifling a brilliant left-footed strike into the bottom corner to make it 4-2.

The final 10 minutes were tense. POB threw everything forward, striking both the bar and the post before finally scrambling in a third goal. But Shire held firm under huge pressure and the final whistle confirmed an excellent 4-3 win for the younger side.

There was even a personal twist to the bragging rights, as Shire’s Riley Hamilton came out on top against his older brother Fin, who lined up for POB.

Final Words
The coaches were delighted with the performance. Every player showed superb effort and a great attitude, with many playing out of position and several new faces making a big impression. Against older and physically stronger opponents, the boys showed real resilience, teamwork and quality – a hugely encouraging start to the season.