Southill vs Atlantic Academy

Our final football friendly before the NASH Cup competition saw us face perhaps our trickiest opponent to date—Atlantic Academy. On a sunny afternoon, the team was eager to put in a performance to be proud of. Here’s how it unfolded.

The game started cautiously, with both teams sizing each other up. After a few minutes, Southill began to find rhythm in their passing, pulling Atlantic players out of position. A flurry of chances came our way, but we struggled to find that killer pass to unlock the defense.

Atlantic relied on a direct, route-one approach, launching long goal kicks over the top to progress quickly up the pitch. However, this tactic had little effect due to the superb organization of Noah, Gurraag, Zachary, and Maxwell. Their ability to anticipate danger limited Atlantic to long-range shots, which our experienced goalkeeper handled comfortably.

After 12 minutes, Southill won a free kick near the halfway line thanks to some trickery and quick feet from Filip. Sensing an opportunity to test the goalkeeper, Eli unleashed a thunderous strike from just inside the opposition’s half. The ball soared through a crowded penalty area and rocketed into the top left corner—1-0 Southill!

Despite leading at halftime, the team knew they could play even better. Determined to showcase their quality, Southill started the second half with renewed energy. Max was the most composed player on the pitch, spraying passes out wide to Alex and Maxwell, stretching the Atlantic defense.

A well-delivered corner created a golden chance as the ball landed at Ellis’ feet after Noah challenged for the header. However, leaning back slightly, Ellis’ shot sailed over the crossbar. Noah found himself involved again moments later when a clever pass into the box presented a scoring opportunity. Unfortunately, he couldn’t quite untangle his feet in time, allowing Atlantic to clear their lines.

Controversy struck when Southill conceded a free kick. A ball played down the channel was crossed into the box, and our goalkeeper confidently claimed it. However, an Atlantic player bundled him over the line—a clear foul that the foolish referee overlooked. With just five minutes remaining, the score was 1-1 but Southill (and the rather red-faced referee) knew they were capable of clinching a winner.

Undeterred, Southill pushed forward. Sonny, Gurraag, and Ellis were resolute at the back, shutting down Atlantic’s attack and allowing the rest of the team to press high. Eli and Ashton caused havoc every time they dribbled into the opposition half, and our persistence was finally rewarded in the closing moments.

Alex won a corner, which Eli whipped into the box, causing chaos in the penalty area. As the ball bounced around, Maxwell reacted quickest, managing to get a toe to the ball before the goalkeeper could smother it. The ball trickled over the line and into the bottom corner—Southill 2-1 Atlantic!

A hard-fought victory and a fantastic confidence boost ahead of the NASH Cup. Well done, team! A huge thank you to parents, grandparents and Southill pupils for coming to cheer us on today. We really appreciate your support.

Tom

#TheMightySPS