PEVOLVE
← Football: Attack & Defend
FreeLower KS2Year 3, Year 443 mins

Football · Lesson 5 of 6

Goal-Side Defending

Learning objective: To defend by staying between the attacker and the goal and delaying the attack.

Success criteria

  • I can stay goal-side of the attacker.
  • I can stand side-on and stay on my toes.
  • I can delay the attacker until a teammate helps.

Equipment

  • One size-3 or size-4 football per pupil
  • 30 cones / flat markers
  • Bibs in four colours
  • 4 pop-up goals or cone goals

Organisation & set-up

Channels 15m long by 8m wide with a cone goal at one end.

PupilDefenderCone→ Movement / pass

Warm-up: Shadow Defending

7 mins
  1. Pairs: attacker (no ball) moves, defender stays an arm's length away and between them and a cone.
  2. Swap roles.

Skill introduction & demonstration

5 mins

Demonstrate defending stance: side-on, knees bent, on toes, arm's length away, goal-side. Show 'delay' - don't dive in.

Goal-sideSide-onOn your toesDon't dive in

Skill development 1: 1v1 Channels

8 mins
  1. Attacker dribbles to score in the cone goal; defender delays and tries to win the ball.
  2. Defender wins a point by keeping the attacker out for 10 seconds.

Skill development 2: 2v2 Cover

6 mins
  1. Second defender covers behind the first.
  2. Talk: 'I've got the ball' / 'I'm covering'.

Main activity: 4v4 Defend the Zone

12 mins
  1. 4v4 game; defending team scores a point each time they win the ball back in their half.
  2. Encourage communication and covering.
  3. No slide tackles.

Coaching points & teaching cues

  • Goal-side
  • Side-on and on your toes
  • Delay, don't dive in
  • Talk to your teammate

Common mistakes & corrections

  • Diving in and being beaten: Count 'one, two' before trying to win the ball.
  • Standing square: Show one shoulder to the attacker.
  • Both defenders chasing the ball: One presses, one covers.

Easier challenges

  • Attacker walks with the ball.

Harder challenges

  • Defender must win the ball within 10 seconds.

Inclusion & SEND adaptations

Adaptations

  • Use larger, softer or brighter balls (e.g. beanbags, balloons, sensory balls) for pupils who find tracking difficult.
  • Offer a seated or stationary version of each task; pair with a supportive peer.
  • Use visual cue cards and demonstrate rather than relying only on verbal instructions.

Maximising participation

  • Keep groups small (2-4) so every pupil has many turns.
  • Avoid elimination games; use points or personal bests instead.
  • Rotate roles (thrower, catcher, coach, scorer) so everyone has a purpose.

Assessment opportunities

  • Observe defensive positioning.
  • Can the pupil explain goal-side?

Plenary & reflection questions

  • What does goal-side mean?
  • Why is delaying useful?
  • How did talking help your team?