Kepier bid for place in Elite Cup decider
KEPIER Academy have progressed into the semi-finals of the ESFA Boys Under-14 Playstation Elite Schools Cup.
The Houghton-le-Spring-based squad defeated St Aidan’s RC School from Harrogate 5-1 in the last eight.
The Wearsiders will now host Thomas Telford School on Monday for a place in the final.
Rob Giles, vice-principal at Kepier, said: “The boys should be immensely proud of reaching this stage of the competition.
“Despite playing against very talented and well-drilled opposition they have run out comfortable winners in the previous rounds.
“We look forward to another tough game against Thomas Telford School.”
Meanwhile, Kepier’s year seven girls won the Durham ESFA Impact Trophies Under-12 Five-a-Side County Final, securing a 6-2 success against Willington Parkside.
The competition also featured Oxclose, who finished third, and Carmel, who came fourth.
Kepier will now join Durham Johnston’s boys’ squad in representing Durham at the northern round of the competition.
This is one step from the national final.
St Thomas More (boys) and Heaton Manor (girls) from Northumberland will join their Durham counterparts in the northern round on Wednesday at the Soccarena, Durham (noon).
Meanwhile, Kepier Academy is joining schools from around the country to support the first National Schools’ Football Week, staged from Monday to Friday next week in conjunction with the English Schools’ FA PlayStation Schools’ Cup.
Close to 2,000 teams are currently taking part in the PlayStation Schools’ Cup, which has grown into the biggest grassroots football competition in England.
Marking a celebration of schools’ football, National Schools Football Week will reflect the spirit of competition, fair play and team work.
Schools will be staging footballthemed events and lessons throughout the week.
The national campaign will also introduce a ‘Respect in Football’ element, while helping boost the participation of boys’ and girls’ football.
Kepier’s Football Foundation/ RFU-unded 3g pitch will be used by a host of local teams for training and its grass pitches will be utilised by junior and adult teams.
JADE Dryden from Cramlington Learning Village notched all four goals in their 4-1 victory over Flixton Girls School from Trafford in the quarter-finals of the ESFA Premier League Under-16 Cup.
Cramlington now have a home tie in the semi-finals against either Sandbach High School or Meole Brace School of Shrewsbury.
LUCY McConnell scored five goals for Washington-based Newminster against Wingfield Academy of Rotherham in the ESFA Under-13 Girls’ PlayStation Schools’ Cup.
Orla Callaghan and Francesca Takher also netted in a 7-3 victory.
The Wearsiders travel to either The National Church of England Academy, South Notts, or St Mary’s College, Hull in the quarter-finals.