It has been a standout week for girls' cricket at AKS Lytham, as both the Under-13 and Under-15 squads delivered flawless performances to secure their places in the North Lancashire Finals. In a rare "double sweep," both teams remained undefeated throughout their respective local rounds of the Lancashire County Indoor Cup, showcasing the depth of talent within the school’s cricket programme.
The Under-13s set the tone early in the week. Despite a narrow opening victory that served as a "wake-up call," the team found their stride with remarkable poise. Standout performances from Penny A, Grace W, Amelie Y, and Winnie V-R proved pivotal, as the girls combined sharp bowling with clinical finishing. By the time they reached the final, their confidence was unshakable, clinical execution and a strong sense of togetherness defining their play.
Not to be outdone, the Under-15s mirrored these heroics just days later. Facing high-pressure situations, the elder squad demonstrated a "never say die" attitude that saw them sweep their tournament undefeated. Key contributions from Esme M, Charlotte R, Sadie A, Alyssa W, and Evie B anchored the team’s success. Their aggressive yet disciplined batting in the final stages, coupled with top-tier communication in the field, ensured they matched the younger age group’s achievements blow for blow.
Both squads were praised not just for their technical skill, but for their exemplary sportsmanship and vocal support for one another on the throughout the matches. The road now leads to the Bolton Arena in March, where both teams will represent the school (and region) in the North Lancashire Finals.
AKS U14 Hockey team got back to winning ways with a superb win against Rossall. We started the game on the front foot and when Alyssa W scored in the first 5 minutes it set the tone for the game. Great passing hockey and excellent team play saw us dominate possession and Elle J forced the ball over the line to put us two ahead. Sadie A worked tirelessly in midfield and constantly won back possession to set up attack after attack and another great run from Alyssa saw her out-run the Rossall defence and lay the perfect pass to Sophia T infront of goal and she duly made the score 3 - 0. Rossall then enjoyed some possession of their own and they got reward for this when they scored to make it 3 - 1. The Rossall goal motivated us to up our game and two more goals from Alyssa W before the break saw us go into half time 5 - 1 ahead. After half time Rossall came out with added confidence and only a great save from Faye J maintained our two goal lead. We then enjoyed more of the ball and with our forwards giving us more height and width to create spaces we played some superb passing hockey and created a number of opportunities one of which was converted by Olivia C. With the game won we continued to dominate and a late break away goal from Charlotte R saw her out-run all the Rossall team and cooly slot the ball past the GK to make the final score 7 - 1. Charlotte R & Sadie A were named players of the match for their non-stop work rate throughout the game.
On the football scene AKS enjoyed 3 wins and a draw from the five matches against QEGS, Blackburn.The1st X I set the standards with a 5-2 win against spirited opposition in which the boys kept their composure and discipline very well.
After going down 2-0 early to an aggressive QEGS outfit, AKS U15’s got a hold of the match midway through the first half on what was a slightly muddy and slick pitch. With some late drop outs, players were asked to play out of position and did phenomenally well for AKS. With a smart finish from Harry McK, and a counter attack where Jacob C-B somehow managed to keep up with a marauding Tom C to convert, AKS managed to pull the score line to 2-2 before QEGS scored on the stroke of half time to take a 3-2 lead into the half - a lead that AKS probably felt was unfair. Just after half time, a penalty put QEGS 4-2 to the good and the quick 5th goal from QEGS added fuel to the fire but with 20 minutes left, AKS still had a great chance of stealing something from the game. What followed was a barrage from AKS and Joe M making save after save at the other end - a fantastic display of schoolboy football albeit to no avail for AKS. Another positive performance from AKS and a lot to build on.
With a tactical reshuffle the U14’s put last weeks result to bed with a ferocious 1st half performance against a talented QEGS side. With Jackson S up front, the boys had a forwards passing outlet instead of relying on playing off the shoulders. 3-0 up at half time with goals from Harry S, Raff L-C & Toby S, QEGS came back strongly in the second half and scored two deserved goals for their endeavour. AKS were not to be denied and added a fourth on the break to seal the game. MVP Toby S
A thrilling afternoon of football saw our U13s secure a hard-fought 4-3 victory against a resilient QEGS Blackburn side. While the scoreline favored us, the true success lay in the development and growth shown by every player on the pitch.
Leading at half-time, the team focused on tactical refinements. We worked on jockeying opponents to contain their movement rather than over-committing, while offensively, the boys thrived by stretching the play wide to make the pitch as big as possible. This spatial awareness created vital openings, allowing us to exploit the space in front of the keeper and stay alert for clinical rebound finishes.
Most importantly, this fixture was a fantastic opportunity to rotate the squad. Every member of the team earned valuable game time, gaining the competitive experience essential for their progression. The energy and enjoyment were palpable, proving that at AKS, development and spirit always go hand-in-hand. Well done boys! Goals: Jack L, Alex W, Dexter N(2)
AKS U12 travelled to QEGS and had a difficult start, and were 1–0 down early doors before slipping further behind at 2–0. A slow opening spell saw AKS look a little unorganised as QEGS took control and applied consistent pressure. However, just before halftime, AKS found a way back into the contest with a long range strike that the keeper could only fumble into the back of the net, giving AKS a lifeline and shifting the momentum heading into the break at 2–1.
The second half was far more competitive, with AKS growing into the game and showing much greater composure and intent. Sustained pressure eventually paid off when AKS found the equaliser with 10 minutes remaining to level the scores at 2–2. AKS pushed hard for a winner in the closing stages but could not quite find the decisive goal. In the end, a draw felt like a fair result, with QEGS having the better of the first half and AKS finishing strongly to claim a deserved draw.
On the netball scene the girls excelled coming away with 4 great wins in the 6 matches against Rossall. The U15 girls faced a strong Rossall side. The game began positively, with AKS taking an early lead thanks to excellent centre-court play between Esme M, Adrianna E and Isla J. Rossall responded well and went on to dominate much of the remainder of the match.
Defensively, Lily P, Emily F, Isabella and Gabby H-S worked tirelessly, making several well-timed interceptions and working hard to keep the score down. Overall, it was a competitive game and a positive performance that showed continued improvement in gameplay and teamwork.
The U14A team put in a determined and spirited performance despite a 37–15 loss to a strong Rossall side. From the first whistle to the last, the girls showed real resilience, never giving up and continuing to fight for every ball. There were some excellent passages of play, with great teamwork and commitment shown across the court, even as the scoreline grew. The team’s attitude and effort were a real positive and something to be proud of. Player of the match was Charlotte R.
The U14 B team put in a superb team performance to convincingly defeat Rossall with some controlled passing netball and excellent shooting. We started the game on a positive note scoring from our first centre pass and this set the pattern of the game. Great defending from Amelia C, Ilaria V and Sophia T constantly won back possession and superb centre court play from Rosie B linked our defence and attack to get the ball into our shooting circle where Elosie R and Faye J duly converted and we went into half time well ahead. With the game won players rotated to experience several positions in the second half and this gave Rossall an opportunity to enjoy more possession but the team continued to mark tightly and restrict their scoring opportunities, while we continued to spread out on court, pass accurately and our shooters kept up their impressive conversion rate so at the final whistle the team were well deserved winners. Players of the Match were Elosie R & Rosie B
In a tight match vs Rossall the U13's produced an outstanding performance to beat Rossall 21-13. Outstanding feeds into the circle meant that AKS were constantly threatening to score thanks to reliable shooting from Arabella C, Amelie Y and Freya W. Harriet B and Grace W grew in confidence in the defensive circle making regular turnovers and linked well with the mid court players of Lottie T, Neve A, Emily B and Penny A to turn these turnovers into attack. Well done, all!
Player of the match was Penny A.
The U12A team produced a confident and well-controlled performance to secure an 18–6 victory against Rossall. From the opening centre pass, the girls showed excellent teamwork and focus, building a steady lead through strong passing and effective movement around the court. Defensively, the team worked hard to limit Rossall’s opportunities, while accurate shooting ensured the score continued to grow. It was a composed and positive display from start to finish, with everyone contributing to a well-deserved win. Player of the match was Alice W
The U12B team game was definitely one of two halves with AKS winning the first half and Rossall coming back in to it to win the second and make it a nail-biting final few minutes.
We got off to a great start passing the ball well and moving the ball into the circle superbly where Matilda M was on fire converting most of her chances to take us in to a first quarter 7 – 3 lead. We continued our accurate play in the second quarter with Winnie V-R working hard in the centre of the court and Molly O and Amber W defending superbly to limit the Rossall scoring chances and at half time we were 11 – 4 ahead. The second half, however was a completely different game as Rossall improved both their movement and accuracy of passing which saw them win the 3rd quarter. The final quarter saw Rossall continue to gain in confidence and play fast , accurate netball whilst we lost our control and often rushed our passes and gave the ball away. Accurate shooting from the Rossall shooter closed the gap but at the final whistle we had kept ahead and were celebrating a hard fought 13 – 10 win. Player of the Match was Matilda M