Liverpool schools celebrated a double triumph at the national finals at the weekend to underline the potential of the next generation of footballers emerging from the city.
Both the under-11 boys and the U12 girls won their showpiece District Cup matches in the English Schools FA National finals at Stoke City’s Bet365 Stadium on Sunday.
The U11 boys beat Croydon 2-1 while the U12 girls overcame West Kent 1-0. The U11 girls had to be content with second place after they were beaten 4-1 by Orpington in their final, while Cardinal Heenan were defeated by Forest School from east Berkshire in the U16s Elite Schools’ Cup final.
Noah Mutch, who scored twice in the semi-final and is with Everton, gave the U11 boys a perfect start when he slotted home with their first attack. Frankie McGivern - who plays with Liverpool - then scored a wonder goal by cutting into the box off the left flank past two defenders before shooting into the top corner, with the boys holding on for the win after Croydon pulled a goal back in the second half.
And U11s manager Paul Gow said: “I couldn’t be more proud of the boys and also their parents. It is such a good group, and not just as young footballers but as kids as well. There are no egos among any of them.
“We scored two good goals and played really well in the first half, and then we had to show another side and dig in during the second half. Croydon are a good team and have players who are signed up with teams like Chelsea and Crystal Palace, and they have a forward who is regarded by some as the best in the age group. But Frankie Freeman barely gave him a chance.”
The U11s are now in action at Goodison on Wednesday, when they take on Kirkby Schoolboys in the Everton Cup final.
Elsewhere in the National finals, Chelsea Ndrin’s 13th goal in the competition was enough to earn the U12s girls a narrow win against West Kent, finishing neatly into the bottom corner when played through. Meanwhile, the U11 girls went ahead early against Orpington through an own goal but ultimately found a two-goal half-time deficit too much to overcome, losing 4-1.
And Gow added: “That there were three teams in a final – and two of them won – shows the depth in talent around the city at the moment.
“It’s credit not just to the boys and girls who play, but also their parents. It’s almost like having a second job, the way they take their children to and from games and follow them wherever they are playing. That requires real dedication.”
Other local teams have also reached the finals week, which remains ongoing. Wirral beat West Kent 4-0 on Sunday to win the U12 boys title while, on Friday, Sefton play Aldershot and Farnborough in the U13s District Cup final, Wirral take on Mid Sussex in the U15 boys final and Knowsley St Helens face Swansea in the U14 girls final.
