The London League U15’s top division works with 4 teams each playing everyone else 3 times over the course of the season. After 2 rounds Watford were top of the table only losing to Penguin Latymer but winning the other 5 games. Two wins would guarantee the championship.

The first game was against Basingstoke who were missing a few of their stronger players and only had 7 players. Watford was missing their Goalkeeper but had a strong squad of 12. The start could not have gone better, Katie’s lighting speed won possession from the start and driving forward she was fouled. Illija scored following the exclusion with just 15 seconds of the game gone, Theo and Illija then took it in turns to score so after less than 3 minutes we lead 4-0.

Basingstoke were awarded a penalty and scored. Watford kept the pressure on with a great team effort to win 13-1. The high press we had been practicing in training was working and defence was very solid, a great start from Goalkeeper Gethin only goal they scores was a penalty. Goals Theo 3, Illija 3, Joe 2, Tom, Gregory, Adam, Katie .

Game Two - Penguin v Worthing. Both teams took the lead at some point and the game ended a very tense 3-3. This allowed Watford to assess the competition and they were good.

Game Three - Basingstoke v Worthing which the South coast side won 6:3.

Game Four - Watford v Penguin, because of Penguin’s earlier draw they could now not catch Watford, but as we had beaten & lost to them earlier in the season another defeat to the West London side would dampen the spirits, if we did win the league but had lost twice to another team.

Watford to another good start with Katie winning the ball and with one of their team excluded with only 20 seconds played, we converted the player advantage for 1-0.
The penguin keeper was excellent. However, a minute later we were awarded a penalty which Illija scored. Illija scored again before Penguin were awarded a penalty which they scored to keep the score 2-1. With 3 minutes of the half remaining it was very tense. Coach Adam noticed their keeper was a long way out of his goal and a quick word to Illija saw him score from his own half.

With just 9 seconds of the half remining another major foul by Penguin was converted into a goal by Katie with only 1 second left on the clock. HT 4-1

The half-time team talk was one of serenity from Coach Adam. Penguin were getting more and more physical, and we needed everyone to keep calm and play the way we wanted not the way they wanted.

The second half did not start well with Penguin scoring first to keep the pressure on. Now at 4:2. Illija stepped up again to make the score 5:2 but less than 2 min later Penguin scored again to make it 5:3. Both teams had not got the measure of each other . Strong defence and great goalkeeping from both teams meant no more goals were scores in the last 4:30 of the game, it ended Watford winning 5:3

Game Five - No rest for Watford who were straight back in the pool to face Worthing.
In the past this has helped us as we can something start slowly. Unfortunately, Worthing came out fighting scoring 2 unanswered goals. Worthing number 8 was awesome she scored an excellent goal and was amazing everywhere in the pool. Fortunately Illija had enough being behind and scored an hat-trick of unanswered goals to end the half 3:2.
The second half started much better Theo scores 2 and Joe scores 1 unanswered goals before we had a player excluded and worthing scored. Rishi who is usually Pit defender decided it was his time to get on the score sheet scoring a great goal. In the last minute was obvious the game was won, Goalkeeper Gethin who is usually an outfield player looked at Coach Adam for permission to play 7 on 6. With just 13 second of the game left Gethin scored. The game ending 8:3.

Goals are important but it was the defence that won us the games. Rishi as centre back was amazing not just defending his player but jumping and tackling other without ever being wrong footed. The team played for each other and showed great composure. The future is very bright for this team. Thanks for Adam Coach, Josh Assistant Coach, and parents for getting them to training so often.

Game Six - last game of the 2023 Championship saw WL Penguin Latymer beat Basingstoke 11-1.