The U13’s had the pleasure of hosting a rematch against our friends, Darlaston Town Eagles. With the majority of players available for both teams, we were able to enjoy a competitive 11v11 game without worrying about having little to no substitutes.

As we kicked off, dark rain-filled clouds rolled in, causing absolute chaos for our players. The pitch quickly became flooded, with the surface struggling to clear puddles fast enough. This severely limited our usual style of play, which relies on speed and width to penetrate the opposition’s defensive lines. The conditions led to a very mucky bit of play and, unfortunately, an own goal as we tried to clear the ball away from our goal. It ricocheted around until it went in.

However, our opponents knew they couldn’t write us off, as we are dangerous in all areas of the pitch. This was quickly realized when the rain slowed, the pitch cleared, and we were able to adjust our play to match the conditions. Two quick and fantastic goals from Zak saw us go 2-1 up and raring to go again. The incredibly talented Karam followed with two more goals, and Riley added two worldie goals to see the game finish 6-1.

It was a really tough game to play, with the conditions significantly affecting our style. Our midfield duo was constantly busy and under pressure as the ball struggled to move across the pitch. Our defense had to stay switched on to manage Darlaston’s fast striker. Luckily, we have a strong and quick defense that managed everything that came its way, with Aaron mopping up any balls coming through.

Despite the challenging conditions, it was a good, friendly game with plenty of smiles from both teams and managers. We wish Darlaston all the luck for the season ahead.

As for the U13’s, I’m incredibly proud of what they’ve achieved over preseason. They’ve been unbeaten throughout and even won a tournament trophy. What most are unaware of is how difficult the last few months have been for the team. We faced a mini-crisis with poor behavior, arguing, and a mentality that just couldn’t win games. We had a long preseason rebuilding, bringing in players who really wanted to be here at Rushall. With the help of the existing players, we have completely turned it around.

This team is now really positive; they work together, celebrate together, and learn together. They’ve played both average and difficult teams and thrived against them all, remaining unbeaten all preseason. I can’t wait to see what they can achieve this season. Win, lose, or draw, we are a team united through development and friendship.

Well done, U13’s!

Rushall Village FC

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