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Friday, December 19, 2025
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Grant's Gillingham Bow Out after Stevenage Clinical Display
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Bermudian youth international Nayan Grant and his Gillingham FC Academy teammates were eliminated from the FA Youth Cup on Wednesday evening following a 2-0 defeat to Stevenage at MEMS Priestfield Stadium.
Despite a spirited performance in front of a home crowd of 303, the young Gills were unable to overcome a clinical first-half showing from the visitors.
The match began with Gillingham nearly taking an early lead when forward Sullivan Booth struck the bar in the eighth minute. However, Stevenage responded almost immediately. A cross-field pass exploited a gap in the Gills' final third, allowing Lenny Brown to loft a precise lob over goalkeeper Fletcher Hegarty to open the scoring.
Stevenage doubled their advantage five minutes before the interval when Samuel Ayolie drifted into space on the edge of the area and fired a powerful 18-yard strike into the back of the net.
Although Gillingham commanded possession following the interval and threw men forward in the closing stages, they were unable to break down a very stubborn and resilient defensive unit.
Joe Dunne’s side continued to probe but were limited to few clear-cut goalscoring opportunities as Stevenage comfortably saw the game out to progress to the next round.
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Thursday, December 18, 2025
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Bean-Fox & Fray Handed Blackburn Rovers Trial
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Bermudian Under-20 internationals Harlem Bean-Fox and Kennahz Fray have taken a significant step toward the professional game after beginning a week-long trial with EFL Championship side Blackburn Rovers.
The pair, who are both currently enrolled at the Future Pro Academy in England, joined the Rovers' youth ranks this week to showcase their talents in front of the club’s technical staff. Fray has integrated with the Under-18 and Under-21 squads, while Bean-Fox is set to follow a similar path as he looks to impress the Lancashire outfit.
The opportunity comes off the back of a stellar season for both players at Future Pro, where they have played a key role in the academy’s unbeaten run at the top of the Under-23 National Football Youth League.
Bean-Fox recently underscored his potential with a clinical goal in a 2-2 draw against i2i Football Academy, while Fray was on the scoresheet as Future Pro reached the last 16 of the English Association of Colleges National Cup.
Demir Vavan, the founder and managing director of Future Pro, noted that the trial is a "powerful reflection" of the standards being set at the academy.
"Seeing two Future Pro Academy players earn opportunities at an EFL Championship club is a testament to the pathways we are building. Both players have shown exceptional growth this season."
The trial could provide an immediate platform for the duo; Fray reportedly has the opportunity to feature for Blackburn’s Under-21s in a fixture against Dundee United if he catches the eye of the Rovers' coaching staff.
For Bean-Fox, the move to Blackburn follows a previous trial stint with Championship leaders Coventry City, highlighting the growing interest in Bermudian talent within the English second tier.
Should they succeed, they would join a growing list of Bermudians making their mark in the Championship, including Queens Park Rangers' Kalen Brunson, who made his professional debut earlier this season.
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Tuesday, December 16, 2025
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Jimenez Sidelined as Hibs Academy Claim Clinical Cup Win
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Hibernian Academy got their 2025/26 CAS Elite League Cup campaign off to a perfect start with a 2-0 victory over St Mirren, despite being without the services of Bermuda international Logan Jimenez.
Jimenez, a key figure in the Hibs youth setup, was forced to miss the opening clash through sickness, watching from the sidelines as his teammates navigated a tense encounter.
For much of the match, St Mirren proved a stubborn nut to crack, but the deadlock was finally broken in the 77th minute. Josh McDonald provided the moment of quality the hosts had been searching for, cutting inside to find the far corner with a fine curling strike.
As the visitors pushed for a late equalizer, Hibs put the result beyond doubt with the final action of the match. Deep into stoppage time, Dean Cleland was found in the area and lashed a powerful finish into the net to clinch the points.
The result provides a strong foundation for the Academy side as they look to progress in the competition, with Jimenez expected to return to the squad once he recovers from illness.
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Monday, December 15, 2025
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Jimenez’s Hibs Set to Face St Mirren in Elite League Cup
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Hibs will be hoping Bermuda international Logan Jimenez will have recovered from his sickness as they begin their 2025/26 CAS Elite League Cup campaign on Tuesday December 16th against St Mirren.
Jimenez’s side will face St Mirren at 2pm at K-Park in the newly-established competition.
The CAS Elite League Cup aims to provide youngsters the opportunity to gain more experience against top opposition within the nation.
Eight teams will compete in the competition, and have been drawn into two groups of four.
Each team will face their three group stage opponents home and away at this stage, before each group winner and group runner-up progresses to the semi-finals.
Should a group stage fixture finish as a draw, a penalty shoot-out will commence – with the winner of the shoot-out earning a bonus point.
Hibs have been drawn into Group 1 with Rangers, Motherwell and St Mirren.
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Saturday, December 13, 2025
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Penalty Drama & Berkeley Dominance Define KO Cup Finals
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 Zach McGuire & Patrick Dill IslandStats.com
Primary School Girls
Warwick Academy 3 Saltus Grammar 2
The day began with a thrilling comeback in the Primary School Girls Final. Saltus Grammar took an early 2-0 lead through Nia Maughan and Sofia Cooper, but Warwick Academy stormed back to win 3-2. Warwick’s victory was sealed by a pair of goals from MVP Ava Rose Richardson and a single strike from Lilliana Corbett. Saltus’ MVP was goalkeeper Sammy Davis.
Primary School Boys
Saltus 3 Warwick Academy 1
In the Primary School Boys Final, Saltus defeated Warwick Academy 3-1. Warwick took a surprise lead midway through the second half via David Gutteridge, but Declan O'Sullivan took control for Saltus, scoring three goals in the space of five minutes to secure the title and the game's MVP award. Shammaah Darko was named Warwick Academy’s MVP.
Middle School Girls
Saltus Grammar 0 Warwick Academy 0
The Middle School Girls Final ended goalless, Saltus Grammar 0-0 Warwick Academy. Saltus were crowned champions after defeating Warwick Academy on penalties. Ki'Ana Simmons was the Saltus MVP, while Napri Pitt-Gray earned the honours for Warwick Academy.
Under 13 Final
Somersfield Academy 3 Whitney Institute 3
Another high-scoring draw defined the Under 13 Final between Somersfield Academy and Whitney Institute, which finished 3-3. Whitney took a 2-0 lead into halftime via Nachen Webb before Somersfield’s MVP Shiloh Stevens scored three unanswered goals to take the lead. Whitney's MVP Webb then equalised to force penalties, with Somersfield ultimately winning the shootout.
Over 13 Final
Saltus Grammar 3 Sandys Secondary 2
In the Over 13 Final, Saltus Grammar saw off a spirited effort from Sandys Secondary to win 3-2. Saltus secured the win with goals from Azai Burt, Xonti Burch, and Xavi Dill. Kimori Azzario-Woods scored both goals for Sandys, whose MVP was Kyron Bryan. Asa Trew-Smith was the MVP for Saltus.
Under 16 Final
Berkeley Institute 4 Saltus Grammar 0
The Under 16 Final saw Berkeley Institute emphatically defeat Saltus Grammar 4-0. After Rylan Desilva gave Berkeley a narrow 1-0 halftime lead, Russon Bailey, Saatchi Trott, and Amir Weller added late goals to seal the win. Cade Thompson was the Berkeley Institute MVP, while David Augustus was named Saltus’ MVP.
Senior Girls
Berkeley Institute 8 Saltus Grammar 0
Berkeley Institute then delivered a stunning performance in the Senior Girls Final, crushing Saltus Grammar 8-0. Berkeley took the lead in the second minute through Priya Dill and never looked back. Calae Gibbons-Thomas led the scoring with a hat-trick, Dill added her second, Daley Outerbridge scored twice, and Jada O'Brien rounded out the scoring. Dill was named MVP for Berkeley alongside Jaya Dillas from Saltus.
Senior Boys Over 16
Saltus Grammar 5 Berkeley Institute 2
The final match of the day, the Senior Boys Over 16 Final, saw Saltus Grammar prove clinical in a 5-2 victory over Berkeley Institute. Saltus led 2-1 at the half with goals from Zach McGuire and Dylan Pickering. McGuire and Pickering each added a second-half goal, along with Isai Gibbons, to put the game out of reach. Jeon Wolfe and Qash Lambert scored for Berkeley. McGuire was named MVP for Saltus, and Patrick Dill was the MVP from Berkeley Institute.
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