15/06/2026
🏆 U12 Blacks – Tournament Report ⚽️
Runners-Up, Full of Heart, Fight and Pure Hoddesdon Spirit
What a day. What a journey. What a team.
The U12 Blacks walked into this tournament knowing the groups were tough — and they absolutely were. Points were hard to come by, every game was a battle, and nothing was handed to us. Lesser teams fold in those moments. Ours didn’t. They dug in, stayed together, and kept believing.
And then came the spark.
Between the sticks, Ollie K produced one of the best goalkeeping performances you’ll see at this age group. Brave, commanding, fearless — he kept us alive when it mattered most. Save after save, moment after moment, he gave the boys the platform to push on.
Up the other end, Jake K decided the tournament needed a bit of magic. Outrageous goals, big‑game moments, and the kind of confidence that lifts an entire squad. When we needed someone to step up, he stepped up.
Against the odds, against the group, against the pressure — Hoddesdon progressed to the final.
And in that final, we were all over them. Dominant. Confident. Creating chances. Controlling the game. The boys played with swagger and belief, showing exactly why this team has grown into something special.
Then… football did what football sometimes does.
With around 30 seconds left on the clock, a freak moment, a miscommunication, and the ball ended up in our own net. Heartbreaking, frustrating, unbelievable — especially after being the better side throughout.
But that’s the game.
Cruel. Beautiful. Unpredictable.
What matters is this:
The U12 Blacks showed character, resilience, quality and togetherness all day long.
They turned a tough group into a final.
They turned pressure into performance.
They turned setbacks into fuel.
Runners-up — but champions in attitude, effort and spirit.
This team continues to grow, continues to impress, and continues to make the club proud. The future is bright for this group of players.
⚽️💙 Well done, U12 Blacks. What a shift.
