SPORTS SECTION - from Phoenix Review 66-67 [published September 1967]

FOOTBALL - FIRST ELEVEN

The 1st. XI football team had a very successful season, which culminated in our reaching the final of the Middlesex Grammar Schools Cup, beating Christ’s College, Ealing, Finchley GS., and Sunbury G.S. in getting there.

The few loyal supporters who attended the match on the wet Thursday evening at Southall Football Ground were thoroughly entertained by a very exciting final, the school narrowly losing 3-2 to Edmonton G.S. in the second part of extra time. Although we were unlucky to lose, havingdominated play in the second half, it was obvious that Edmonton were the fitter and the better-trained side.

Results of the other school matches were as follows: - Played, 17; Won, 10; Drawn, 2; Lost 5; Goals for, 50: Goals against, 29.

The school was well represented, having three Middlesex players, O’Leary, Wilson and Dixon, who made regular appearances.

Other colours re-awarded went to Davies, Arnold, Hepple, Squirrel, Cato and Worthy.

Perhaps the biggest success of the season was Mick Schulz, who is only in the fourth form and played very steadily at left back. He gained a full colour with McConnell and Dodd.

Alan Squirrel

FOOTBALL - SECOND ELEVEN

Goals
P W D L F A
13 9 1 3 42 31

Goal Scorers:

Hughes, 9; Poland, 5; Asbury, 4; Probyn, Sikuljak, Wakeman, 3; Dodd(I), McConnell, Thurbon, Wardle, 2; Blair, Dodd(M), Hanafin, Lousley, Nash, Sweatman, 1; Opponent 1. Total 42.

Despite starting the season badly with two defeats, the team then moulded into a unit that lost only one more game (when we had only 10 men). In fact, overall, the 2nd XI had an excellent season and would probably have had its best season ever if we had had more games, for we were playing very well, especially in the second half of the season. Although we won the last eight games, the high note of the season, in my opinion, was when we won 4-0 against Southall, who traditionally have one of the strongest sides. We had a good record despite never being able to field the same side for two weeks running.

Unfortunately, this team will be completely broken up next season, because of members either leaving or moving up to the 1st XI. Therefore, I wish the next captain and team the best of luck. Finally, I must thank all those who played, especially those who played regularly.

G. Sweatman (Captain)

CYCLE RACING

A recent development in school sport has been the freshly-acquired enthusiasm of pupils for cycle racing. This sport, completely new to the school, is probably one of the most strenuous sports, yet certain members have trained seriously to reach peak fitness. The school found enough enthusiasm to form a team of three to enter the Schoolboys’ National 10-mile Championships. The team consisted of John Pearce, Cohn Williamson and Robert Cutler, and the first heat was held atAmersham in June. All three members rode extremely well to win the team event, with Cohn Williamson leading the team with a time of 25 minutes from John Pearce, who recorded 26 minutes 17 seconds. Cutler completed the team win in 28 minutes 15 seconds. The second team, over three minutes behind, were our neighbours, Ealing Grammar School for Boys, and third came Aylesbury County Grammar.

We had now qualified to compete in the West London District Finals at Fartiham. While the order of finishing times within the team had remained the same (Williamson 26-35, Pearce 27-13, Cutler 28-45) the team finished over two minutes clear of High Wycome Secondary Modern, and three minutes clear of Farnham Secondary Modem.

We were now West London champions, (West London district is the area enclosed within Middlesex, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Oxfordsbire, Surrey and North Hampshire, as laid down by the Road Time Trials Council). We were then asked to represent West London in the National Finals at York.

Competing against riders older and more experienced than ourselves, the team rode magnificently. The finishing order of times had been altered, owing to the incentive of the occasion on Pearce, for he led home with a time of 25 minutes 45 seconds, narrowly (and amusingly) beating Williamson by eleven seconds. Cutler backed up these two rides with a time of 27-21.

However, the main point was that Drayton Manor had striven with determination, becoming the fourth fastest school in Great Britain. This great success last summer has encouraged a younger member of the school to follow in the team’s footsteps. This is fourteen-year-old Steve Hinton. Although not this year backed by last year’s team, owing to new rules with regard to age class, he shows signs of becoming a really great rider. In his first time trial, the West London heat at Amersham, he recorded the remarkable time of 25 minutes 35 seconds, and as the magazine was due for publication he was due to ride in the West London finals at Farnham. We hope he will succeed in bringing the National title to the school and his club, Greenford C.C.

Yet our success has not ended here, for in Christopher Hefferman we have found a potential champion massed-start rider. In the West London Schoolboys’ road race at the Crystal Palace in May, he was narrowly beaten for first place in the sprint and was awarded second place. However, he was rewarded for this misfortune, with a great win at Windsor by over two minutes, and has since become well-known in cycle-racing circles.

All these five enthusiasts of the sport have created a new interest in the school, and hope to promote the sport further among other members of the school. Any boy, or even gitl, who may be thinking of taking up the sport, however seriously, should find out more from any of the boys.

John Pearce