CONEL Scores Big at AOC London Regional Championships!

In a historic victory, CONEL clinched their inaugural AOC Sport London Regional Championships title on Wednesday, November 1st. The college’s Men’s 1st Team, in collaboration with Enfield Borough Football Club, set out on a mission to make college history by winning the AOC Sport London Regional Championships and earning a coveted spot at the National Championships.

Drawing inspiration from last year’s remarkable successes of the Basketball and Netball teams, who secured the 2022-2023 Championships, with Basketball going on to conquer the Nationals, the stakes were high for the football squad.

The tournament featured fierce competition, with a total of 17 teams hailing from various corners of London battling it out throughout the day. Jonathan Silman, Head of School for Sport across the group, expressed their vision, saying, “We aimed to carry forward the momentum of last year’s triumphs and formulate a strategy for our three colleges within the group. Our goal is to enable more of our 16-18-year-old students to access high-level competitive sports and engage with fantastic partners like Enfield Borough Football Club.” Under the new college slogan, “Team CCCG Sport,” four teams participated in the competition, representing each college within the group: the College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London (CONEL), City and Islington College (CANDI), and Westminster Kingsway College (WestKing), with a combined women’s team also in the mix.

The group stages were highly competitive, with both CANDI and CONEL teams advancing to the semi-finals, along with New City College and Newham College. In a closely contested match, Newham College defeated CANDI, while CONEL had to rely on penalties to secure their spot in the final.

In the final showdown, CONEL came out strong, taking an early 2-0 lead. Although Newham pulled one goal back in a thrilling finale, CONEL managed to maintain their composure and secure a triumphant victory. Jonathan added, “This achievement is monumental, as football now joins our prestigious London trophy collection. The final held sentimental value for me, having played a role in establishing the Sports department at Newham College before taking on my current position. I am overjoyed for the players and coaches who will represent London at the National Tournament in Nottingham in April 2024.”

Marvin Walker, Chairman of Enfield Borough, celebrated the achievement, stating, “This is a remarkable feat, and we are thrilled for the club. Our partnership continues to thrive and prosper.”

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