On 13 September 2025, S J B Juniors U16 Girls travelled to Victory Park to face Cosby United Youth & Junior Girls U15 He in an early morning league clash kicking off at 10:30am. The 80-minute contest ended in a thrilling 4-2 victory for the Juniors, who overcame an early deficit to secure all three points away from home.
S J B Juniors lined up in a 4-4-1-1 formation, a tactical setup designed to provide defensive solidity with four at the back, midfield width and support for a lone striker. Grace took her place between the sticks as goalkeeper. The defensive line featured Tianna at right back, Sophia and Ella as central defenders, and Milly on the left flank. Across midfield, Eva operated on the right wing, Jaden and Beth occupied the central midfield roles, while Zara patrolled the left midfield. Freya played just behind the striker, Lacie, tasked with leading the line and spearheading attacks. The substitutes bench included Isha, Liv, Sophie, Kelsey, and Belle.
The match began with Cosby United taking an early lead in the 11th minute, putting the Juniors on the back foot. However, the visitors responded swiftly. By the 16th minute, Jaden was replaced by Isha, signalling an early tactical adjustment. Just two minutes later, Freya’s creativity paid dividends as she provided a precise assist for Lacie to equalise in the 18th minute, restoring parity.
The Juniors continued to press and their efforts were rewarded again in the 26th minute when Lacie doubled her tally, once more assisted by Freya, who was proving pivotal in the attacking midfield role. The match saw a flurry of substitutions between the 22nd and 34th minutes as Liv replaced Zara, Sophie came on for Beth, Kelsey took over from Ella, and Belle replaced Milly. Beth later returned to the field, substituting Eva in the 34th minute, indicating a reshuffle in midfield and wide areas.
Despite the Juniors’ dominance, Cosby United struck back in the 37th minute to level the score at 2-2, setting up a tense finish to the first half. Yet the Juniors responded immediately; in the 39th minute, Eva, now on the pitch, capitalised on another assist from Freya to restore the lead. Shortly after, an injury forced Ella off, with Ella’s central defensive partner Sophia also substituted for Ella, maintaining defensive balance before the half-time whistle at 40 minutes.
The second half began with further changes as Jaden replaced Kelsey and Milly returned for Belle, while Zara came back on for Isha, signalling a return to the original midfield shape. The Juniors maintained control of the game, with Liv coming on for Beth in the 66th minute to inject fresh legs in midfield.
The decisive moment arrived in the 74th minute when Lacie completed her hat-trick, this time assisted by Eva, who had been influential on the right wing throughout the match. This goal put the Juniors firmly in front at 4-2. The final substitution came in the 76th minute when Kelsey replaced Tianna, who had to leave the field due to injury.
Throughout the match, Eva and Zara stood out for their consistent performances, combining defensive work rate with attacking impetus, earning them the player of the match accolades. The Juniors’ resilience and tactical flexibility were key to overturning the early setback and securing a vital away victory in this competitive league fixture.
