On Friday night they danced with flair,
Cocktails, wine, and sparkly wear;
Awards were won, the music loud,
A “disco juice” fired Henley crowd.

But even with a match ahead,
They partied on instead of bed.
For though good players rest and fuel…
Henley rewrote that golden rule.

The teenagers shone at first daylight,
Still buzzing from the previous night.
The adults…well, let’s just confess:
They woke up feeling slightly less.

But dawn arrived with no remorse,
A Marlow trip the next day’s course.
Unbeaten still, they had to show
That last night’s fun won’t stop their flow.

In the changing room they gathered together
Preparing for this final endeavour.
Ready for Captain Ali’s tactics chat,
Instead, AI nicknames are what they got back.

Warmup? A token jog at best.
They prayed their legs would do the rest.
The sun climbed high with cheerful glow —
A test for those a touch too low.

The whistle blew and off they sped,
Though Tilly hit the turf instead.
A foot in Marlow’s D was seen,
A short corner already for Henley’s team.

Kat swung a strike with all her might,
But morning vision wasn’t quite right.
Marlow swept it down the line,
Till Jenny blocked them, bold and fine.

Charlotte JJ, Ali, Bea,
And Tilly, such midfield wizardry.
Short corners came in steady streams,
But goals remained elusive dreams.

A Marlow player hit the ground,
Her teammates baffled by the sound.
Whilst Jess, despite a late night at Magoos,
Still defending hard and breaking through.

Then Nicky stopped a Marlow break,
Fed it up the pitch for Henley’s sake.
At last, in minute number nine,
Kat’s short corner strike — a perfect line.

Another corner, Ali struck!
It hit the net — but out of luck.
Too high, too wild, too bold a play,
Rules ignored, she did it anyway.

Then came the moment of the day:
The captain’s infamous “death play”.
From a short, she swung and missed,
And toppling back, the ground she hit.

Her laughter proved she’d not been harmed
But teammates, oppo & umpires were alarmed.
Then up she got and play resumed,
At this point, victory not presumed.

But CC came on with righteous fire,
And scored to lift the team up higher.
Then Charlie sprinted, fierce and fast,
While Isla blocked each Marlow pass.

Another short, and Tilly scored —
Henley’s third, how the crowd roared!
Meanwhile, Jasmine kept her goalmouth tight,
Saving shots with calm delight.

Halftime blew — threenil, and spirits soared,
A shock, considering how many had hit the floor.
Henley dehydrated, wobbly, running on fumes
But somehow still dictating Marlow’s doom.

The break brought shade and quiet groans,
And several players stretching bones.
Captain Ali conducting team chat from the ground
Her mind now focused, her tactics sound.

Second half started as Katherine pushed back,
Straight to Ali then on to Charlie with a slap.
A shot from Katherine — but just wide,
Henley’s frustration they could not hide.

Next Charlotte JJ, Charlie, and Tilly,
Passed it up the wing so slickly.
Another shot — another save,
But Henley’s pressure did not waive.

Jenny hassled, fierce and tight,
Jess lost her stick middefensive fight.
Nicola held the left with pride —
The only one who did not slide.

Storming play from Evie who tackled with zest,
She ran the length of the pitch like a thing possessed.
Isla always solid, calm and wise,
Reading play from the back with eagle eyes.

Ali sparked the next move with a tidy feed,
To Bea then CC, there was a surge of speed.
Amy on the post tried to poke it through,
But the keeper was “logging”, nothing she could do.

A short corner came and Kat struck true,
Straight through the keeper’s legs the ball flew.
Finally, a goal for Henley this half,
After many attempts, one had gone in at last!

Some last minute pressure from Marlow pushing through,
Their strikers sniffing chances, one or two.
But Nicky cleared with tidy feet
And Jasmine kept her clean-sheet streak.

The whistle blew — the job was done.
Fournil, Invictus! season won.
A debut side with talent stacked,
One hundred thirtythree goals. FACT!

Back to the clubhouse for tea and cake,
Awards and laughter in their wake.
Every member played their part
A season sealed with grit and heart.

Players of the Match: Kat and Charlotte JJ — third place flair,
Tilly and Jasmine — silver pair.
But Charlie claimed the top spot bright,
For sprinting like a dynamite.