A local U16 girls football team is celebrating reaching the English Schools’ Football Association (ESFA) National Final.
Pupils from St. Bede’s Catholic School and Byron Sixth Form, which is part of Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust, beat Haslingden High school from Rossendale, Blackburn 3-1 in the semi-final.
They will play Fulbrook School from Woking in the final on Tuesday 7 May at The Bet365 Stadium, the home of Championship club Stoke City FC.
“We can’t wait to play in the final”! Victoria Chester from Year 11 told us.
“We’ve played well as a team and worked really hard, and we have got our reward. We are all very excited.”
The team have shown tremendous form on their way to the final, beating two former finalists along the way.
They have scored a hugely impressive 34 goals in 7 games, whilst only conceding 6.
Daisy May Clarke is currently the teams leading goal scorer with 9 goals, closely followed by Ellen Marie Atkinson, Eva Mysleyko and Teigan Wilson who all have 8 each.
Headteacher Frances Cessford, said, “We are over the moon that the team has reached the final. Our school is fortunate enough to have its own football academy in partnership with a local provider Improtech. Reaching the final shows what great talent and team spirit our players have. We will all be rooting for them in the final.”
The squad consists of pupils – Eve Antliff, Ellen Marie Atkinson, Olivia Barkess, Sami Boardman, Victoria Chester, Daisy May Clarke, Neve Clarke, Elise Embleton, Amy Howarth, Millie Hudson, Eva Mysleyko, Molly Smart, Eve Webster and Teigan Wilson