An exciting season finale saw Chilton Cantelo School's Ist XI U16 Football Team return home from the Independent Schools Football Association (ISFA) Cup final, carrying the winners' shield.

An exciting season finale saw Chilton Cantelo School’s Ist XI U16 Football Team return home from the Independent Schools Football Association (ISFA) Cup final, carrying the winners’ shield. Amazingly, they played the same opponents as last year’s final – Liverpool College - the team who had robbed them of the title last year!

The team arrived at Hinckley United’s football ground in Leicester to find parts of the pitch under water and a solitary groundsman working hard to get the pitch playable. So in typical Chilton style players, parents and staff rolled up their sleeves, got as many forks, shovels and brushes as they could find and spent the next hour making sure the pitch was playable.

Their efforts proved worthwhile as an exciting and eventful National Final ensued. Chilton Cantelo got off to a flying start when Lewis Bloomer burst down the right and blasted a fine drive into the corner to open the scoring after just one minute. There was plenty more goalmouth action at both ends in the first half but no further scoring.

Chilton extended their lead early in the second half through Kieran Beardmore’s glancing header and it was soon 3-0 when Ben Morton was brought down in the penalty area and Beardmore scored from the spot. Five minutes later Bloomer’s cross from the right was headed in by Miles Pike. Liverpool College pulled a goal back when Perry Ng headed home from a corner but Chilton Cantelo completed an impressive performance when Ben Morton’s shot was saved and Piers Luckhurst was on hand to hammer home the rebound and complete a 5-1 victory in a most entertaining match.

Coach, Kevin Wagland, said “I could not be prouder of the team and their achievements. I have seen these boys grow into a fine outfit over the last five years and this is a fitting climax for all their efforts. The school took over 100 supporters to the game and they made it sound like a crowd of 5000 the way they got behind the team, which is testament to the family environment the school creates.”

Photograph courtesy of www.rwt-photography.co.uk