Recreativo Roma 1-1 Recreativo Real Madrid 29th Oct
(Goals : Wakefield, Dillon)
With Islington Youth failing to turn up for this game, we used the pitch and allotted match time as a training match for our squad. With one half pulling on the deep red Roma-like shirts and the other half the merengue-white strip of Real Madrid, the team was sent out onto the astro-turf with a simple message; to all give 100%, to play the match as if it was a league game. And that they did. The parents and supporters, stood in the chilly evening, were warmed by the exciting and competitive nature of the game. Goals from Louis and couisin George added to the well fought out game. Despite the non-show of our league opposition, tonight’s game was a valuable lesson in the team’s footballing education and a highly enjoyable exercise for all involved.
Recreativo 1-1 Harbour Nov 2nd
(Goal: Dillon)
After Lara’s solid performance in our training game earlier in the week, she was given the captain’s armband for tonight’s encounter with the Harbour. Straight from the whistle Recreativo charged forward to win possession of the ball, confidence with the growing experience begin to ooze throughout the team. The floodlights, the screaming supporters, the highly charged atmosphere of Market Road doesn’t seem so daunting now.
Storm performed solidly between the sticks, at one point diving full stretch to push a hard low shot around his left post. Fantastic stuff! Louis began to take charge of the left flank, darting runs, great one-twos with George, resulting in a sweet left foot shot which crashed into the back of the Harbour goal. We came in at half time 1-0 up, but knew we had a lot of work to do in the second half.
Ollie came on for the second half and seem to give the Harbour defence the runaround, using the width of pitch to his advantage. Only dodgy tackling and shoving could stop him!
A Harbour goal levelled the game at 1-1. Jaden’s edge of the box shot smashed into the Harbour goal half way through the second half, but the referee disallowed for hand-ball. So a decent draw for Recreativo, handshakes all round and applause for the whole team as we came off at the final whistle. The fireworks exploding across the sky in this part of north London tonight seemed a fitting end to what had been an exhillirating evening of junior football.
Team (all played both games) : Storm Gregory-Hickling, Sam Abdullah-Kirton, Jaye Paul, Lara Tollington, Louis Dillon, George Wakefiekld, Benji Barbour-Ricketts, Jaden Stephenson, Daniel Garcia-Fernandez, Harry Butcher, Zeki Bolat, Ollie Goldblatt.
The very lovely Il Bacio Italian Restaurant on Church Street, Stoke Newington was the place to be today as the rain poured down outside. 
