Glebe U9 Jaguars Battle Beckenham At Langley

On 30 November 2025, Glebe U9 Jaguar’s travelled to Club Langley to face Beckenham Town Red in a 7-a-side league match, kicking off at 11:00am. Conditions were far from ideal – the boys battled with the sun in their eyes for long spells and a wet, downward-sloping pitch that made every defensive recovery and forward run that bit more demanding. Despite working hard throughout, the Jaguars ultimately fell to a 5–1 defeat, in a match that continually tested their resilience, communication, and decision-making.

Glebe set up in their familiar 2-1-3 formation, intended to offer structure at the back while still providing outlets going forward. Harrison Elsey started in goal and was called upon early and often, producing saves that kept the scoreline respectable during key moments. In front of him, Micky Gorringe and George Mansell formed the central defensive pairing. Both boys stood out for their reading of the game, strong tackling, and refusal to switch off even as pressure mounted.

Operating in the middle was Ben Insall, who worked tirelessly from box to box. In addition to his defensive contributions, Ben also stepped up for a long-range free-kick attempt in the 29th minute, forcing the Beckenham keeper into action. Ahead of him, the front three of Lewis Whyte, Winston Goody, and Freddie Chenery were tasked with stretching the pitch and creating chances. Winston produced one of Glebe’s key attacking moments with a determined attempt in the 40th minute, driving forward despite tiring legs and difficult footing.

The home side started brightly, using the slope and Sun well to press Glebe deep into their own half. Under sustained pressure, the Jaguars’ defensive line was forced into repeated interventions, with Gorringe and Mansell combining to break up several threatening moves. Despite their work, Beckenham found early success.

Glebe’s goal came via a moment of well-worked build-up, starting with Insall recycling possession and threading a through ball into the attacking trio. Winston managed to capitalise on a 2nd ball from the oppositions keeper to bring Glebe onto the scoreboard.

At half time, the Jaguars regrouped with determination, but Beckenham maintained their momentum and added further goals as the second half wore on. Even so, Glebe continued to compete with Lewis, Brown and Winston pushing forward whenever possible with George Martin working to create space up top. Jax stepped in confidently with a fresh pair of hands to take the pressure of Goalkeeping from Harrison in the 2nd half of the game.

In summary, Glebe U9 Jaguar’s showed grit and togetherness on a difficult day, contending not only with a strong Beckenham Town Red side but also testing pitch conditions. While the result went against them, the boys commitment and fight throughout the match was commendable.

George Mansell’s performance stood out as a key defensive figure, earning him the player of the match accolade for his resilience and leadership at the back.