NewsWoodlands Wembley Success
Thursday, 01 May 2008.
The girl’s from Woodlands Middle School’s U11 football team have been crowned national 7-a-side champions after a memorable Cup Final appearance at Wembley.
The team from Bradwell, near Great Yarmouth, were crowned joint winners after claiming a draw in Saturday’s final played in front of 20,000 fans.
Woodlands had qualified for a place in the national semi-finals after winning through the District, County and South East Regional tournaments, which included participants from 11 other counties.
They travelled to Watford’s training ground last Friday for their semi final clash with the Ridge School from Bristol, who had qualified as winners of the South West of England tournament.
After a closely contested goalless draw it was left to penalties to decide who would appear in the Final at Wembley the next day.
Both teams scored with their first spot kick, but a succession of saves from the Ridge keeper put the Bristol team in the driving seat. However Woodlands shot stopper Chantelle Fenn stepped up to save three successive penalties, and this coupled with successful efforts from Courtney Bacon and Harriet Brooks sealed a 3-2 victory for Woodlands.
After celebrating with a night in a London hotel, the team travelled to Wembley on Saturday for the final, where they met St Paul’s of Liverpool, the team who had won the tournament the previous year as an U10 team in an U11 competition.
The teams shared a tense changing room before walking out onto the Wembley pitch to play the national final at the home of football. Again the game proved to be a tight encounter. St Pauls used possession well and created a number of good chances, however some superb defensive play by a well organised Woodlands unit meant the game finished 0-0.
In keeping in line with the tournament rules, the result meant the 2008 title was shared, with both teams receiving a winner’s trophy. The presentations were made during the half time interval of the England v Scotland U18 schoolboy international, which was also being played at Wembley on the same day.
Woodlands go down as the inaugural winners of the event since its switch to Wembley, and are the first winners from Norfolk for 20 years.
Congratulations from all at County Headquarters!
WOODLAND’S U11’s: Chantelle Fenn, Harriet Brooks, Abbie King (capt), Kayleigh Beare, Sasha Lake, Courtney Bacon, Enya Tooke, Bethany Roberts, Megan Taylor
COACHES: Stuart Aldous & Vanessa Brambor