PEAFIELD LANE SCHOOL : NATIONAL CHAMPIONS
The boys of Peafield Lane School’s Under 11 football team had two days to remember for the rest of their lives as they became champions of England on Saturday at Wembley Stadium. In what is believed to be the largest schools’ competition in the world, the Under 11 English Schools’ F.A. 7-a-side Championship for boys with nearly 3000 entries nationwide, Peafield Lane’s success story began in October when they won the Mansfield Primary Schools’ competition. That qualified them for the Nottinghamshire County Competition the following month against the champion schools from eight other areas. After an undefeated morning of group and knock-out games, they became County Champions and reached the Midland Finals at Leicester last month. There they triumphed over 11 other schools to become one of the last four teams left in the competition.
A large party of players, other pupils, parents and supporters travelled down the M1 on Friday morning to the Watford Football Club Academy Ground where the semi-finals of all four English Schools’ Primary competitions for Boys, Girls, Small Primary Schools and District Representative teams were played in the late afternoon.
Peafield Lane were drawn against the northern champions, Rickleton School from Washington; with both sides well supported there was a great atmosphere and the first half of 12 minutes saw the Mansfield school generally on top although the goal which gave them the lead was somewhat fortuitous. The always dangerous Luke Darby hooked in a shot from 25 yards and with the Rickleton keeper slightly off his line, it drifted over him into the top of the net. The second half saw Rickleton giving their all but with captain Harry Joule and Conor Green defending well, most of their attempts were from long range so that Peafield Lane held on for the win to put them in the final.
All sixteen teams from the four competitions then travelled further into London to their overnight hotels before making the once in a lifetime journey to play at Wembley Stadium on Saturday morning where the finals and 3rd/4th place play-offs were the main element of the pre-match entertainment prior to the Under 18 England Schools v. Scotland Schools’ international game.
Peafield Lane were involved in the penultimate final in which they met Dinglewell School from Gloucester and made a dream start when Luke Darby put them ahead in the second minute. His goal, like the second from Liam Green, was set up by the influential Cameron Dear, a Year 5 pupil ensuring Peafield held a comfortable 2-0 lead at half-time.
Nerves began to kick-in after the interval, particularly when Dinglewell took advantage of a defensive error to make the score 2-1. Peafield Lane too often gave the ball away and Dinglewell had two golden opportunities to level the scores for a share of the trophy. Poor ball control at the crucial moment saw both chances go begging and Peafield Lane hung on for the coveted national title which made them the third Nottinghamshire team in three years to take one of the English Schools’ Primary Cups.
In action in the semi final at Watford Academy Ground
In action in the final at Wembley
The team receiving thier medals |
