Rising Stars: Under 12 Girls bring shield home lead by proud coaches.

On a sunny bank holiday weekend, as per the norm every Rising stars team played great football, gave everything they had and most importantly had fun as they played opposition from across Kent.

Under 12 Girls played a furious game against East Kent FC, making spectators writhe with anticipation as the game progressed. A strong team performance combined with individual brilliance saw the Risers win 8-0 and take the shield back to their trophy cabinet. Key performances came from Jeea and Grace who both left the field with player of the match performances With Grace scoring a hat-trick.

Under 13 Colts didn’t give up in their fight against Cheriton despite only having 10 players and being without their usual goalkeeper. The Colts beat a strong Cheriton side in a friendly that resulted in a 2-1 victory for the Risers with a resolute defence and a strong second half display.

Under 13 Girls were confronted with a tenacious Margate side, but never gave up on teamwork and showed a positive attitude. An early goal for Margate did not dampen the girls spirits with Risers twice coming close to equalising. A second goal came just before half-time. With the game at 2-0 Risers continued to press forward allowing Margate the opportunity to counter. The game ended 3-0 with a Margate goal with the last kick of the game. Lizzy showed tremendous energy and attitude to support her teammates, earning herself a well deserved player of the match.

In the Under 11 category there were two games involving Risers. The Under 11 Youth played a good Margate side with Risers showing incredible teamwork and perseverance to produce an incredible display of football. Rising Stars’ chairman Anthony remarked “What a group of players, loved watching this match”.

The Under 11 Colts also played this weekend against a strong and resilient Deal team with both sides playing football of a high standard. The Colts possessed an attacking mindset and linked up well together. Their manager, Sam, stated “The team showed good passing and was the most attacking we’ve been all season”.

There were two games played in the Under 10’s. Under 10 Youth didn’t let their lack of substitutes stop them from giving their opposition, Faversham Strike Force, a fierce game. Each player showed considerable determination and drive pushing each other to a fantastic team performance.

The Under 10 Girls Colts played East Kent Roses in an intense battle for victory. The girls played superb football and credit is due to the East Kent team who continued to fight throughout the game.

Three teams played this weekend in the Under 9 category. The Under 9 Juniors played Eastry, fighting for the game until the final blow of the whistle. Each player showed considerable effort and displayed excellent camaraderie.

The Under 9 Colts played a determined Whitstable Town Youth matching them as equals despite having no substitutes. The players showcased tremendous amounts of energy as the game progressed. The opposition commented that this was the toughest team they had played. The performance saw a fine goalkeeping display by Evan and a driven showing by Dugee.

Finally the Under 9 Youth played a fair and purposeful game against Margate, both teams receiving support from each other and spectators alike. The game was played with mutual respect and fairness showing the qualities expected from a Rising Stars team. The game included a fantastic display by Fraser and excellent work from Josh showing good control.

In Under 8 football only one team played this weekend with the Under 8 Youth showing the meaning of teamwork in a tough match against a strong Whitstable town team. Their coach, Scott, said “This was probably the best game the boys have played all season”

In the world of Under 7 football the Under 7 Youth played a strong game against Herne Bay Harriers. The Risers had no substitutes but didn’t let this hold them back playing some excellent football.

The Under 7 Colts played a good Tyler Hill Youth Colts, showing both team spirit and determination throughout the match. The boys worked hard together showing that they have made lots of progress over time.

Bethan Newman (U13 Girls)