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Bahrain Rugby Football Club’s junior soccer starlets continued on their triumphant run of form with an unbeaten string of performances in the Charles Russell Invitational Bahrain League Cup competition at the weekend.
Last season’s expat league and cup Under-12 champions, featuring a couple of 10-year-old new recruits in defence, beat every side they faced in a nine-a-side competition staged at the Batelco Sports Ground in Hamala on Friday.
Their most impressive performance came in a 2-0 victory over their much taller opponents Dubai Colts FC who flew in an Under-14 squad to compete in the competition after an administrative mistake.
Also competing were DHL Wanderers 1 & 2 and The British Club of Bahrain. One of the highlights of the champion’s run was Rugby Club goalkeeper Jack Bonner’s stunning penalty stop against DHL Wanderers I after a spot kick was harshly awarded for handball when a fiercely-struck shot smacked into the face of a brave defender.
The victorious Under-12 squad was made up of Bonner, Raef Tanner, Aidan Shretta, Brad Lenard, Mitchell Haseid, Callum Matthews, Fritz Tautenhahn, Sami Alajiji, Ben Westley, Luke Williamson and Stan Szecowka.
The Bahrain RFC team will have to find not one but two Bonner replacements. Coach Paul and his family will shortly be moving to Doha. “I’ve loved every minute of working with the boys and I wish them the best of luck for the coming season,” he said.
* More schoolboy soccer action: See Letters Section
