Long Ashton Under 8 Griffins put in a determined performance this morning in a hard‑fought game against Downend. The result didn’t fall their way, but the coaches were really proud — the work from training is clearly starting to show, with the girls spreading out well and playing some very good football.

Olive was solid at the back, reading the play calmly and picking out clever passes to the wings. Eira worked tirelessly all over the pitch, supporting both defence and attack with her usual tenacity. Endelyn opened the scoring with a confident finish and continued to threaten with some excellent runs that could have produced more goals.

Freya provided some goals in the second half, converting Mali’s brilliant corner before adding two more for a hat‑trick. Mali led the line with great energy, constantly chasing down the ball, and finished the match as an excellent sweeper‑keeper in the final quarter. Alicia was strong and composed in midfield, covering plenty of ground and almost snatching a late fifth for Long Ashton.

Despite the loss, it was a hugely encouraging display full of effort, improvement, and flashes of real quality — the team should be very proud of their performance.