Ferndale High off to the Discovery Cup knockout round
Ferndale High School’s first soccer team has qualified for the Discovery Cup knockout round after North Riding forfeited the game.
Ferndale High School’s U14 and first teams have made it through to the Discovery Cup knockout round, after big wins against North Riding High School.
Ferndale hosted North Riding for an exciting evening of sport, laughter, and school spirit, with both teams competing for pride and valuable points in the Discovery Cup.
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The action began with the U14s, where Ferndale put on an impressive display to secure a 4–1 victory. The U17s followed, but this time North Riding came out on top with a 4–2 win. The U15s were next and produced an evenly contested encounter that ended in a 2–2 draw.
All eyes then turned to the eagerly anticipated first-team clash, with both sides battling for the crucial three points and a place in the Discovery Cup knockout round. Ferndale started like a house on fire, determined to make home advantage count.
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They created several early opportunities but were let down by poor finishing in front of goal. The match was a physical encounter, with neither team willing to pull out of challenges. However, the contest was repeatedly delayed by players back-chatting officials, highlighting a worrying lack of discipline.
The game eventually came to an abrupt end when a Ferndale player was brutally kicked in the head, leaving a referee with no choice but to produce a red card. Further protests against the decision resulted in another North Riding player being sent off.
The visitors subsequently forfeited the match, and Ferndale were automatically awarded a 3–0 victory, securing their place in the Discovery Cup knockout round.
Kamogelo Mohlala, a teacher at Ferndale, explained that an incident involving their player was brutal and uncalled for. “They kicked the boy in the head, and the rules of soccer say anywhere around the face, the kicking and all that, is a straight send-off. They decided to give up the game and walk away, so we won.”
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