Congratulations to the U13 Girls' Football Team on their fantastic win at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry on Friday 16th May 2008. The Friary beat Frances Bardsley School for Girls from Essex 3-2 in the Minute Maid Cup to become National U13 Girls' Champions - excellent, well done girls.

On the day of the match the team left the Friary in high spirits and with great determination. They were closely followed by two supporters coaches carrying year seven and year eight pupils. As in a number of the previous matches the weather didn't look good and it rained quite heavily on the way to the stadium. However, although it was quite dull, the rained stopped and stayed away for the duration of the game.

The spectators arrived at the stadium in time to see both teams warming up and to enjoy the pre match preparations.

After the usual greeting of the teams the match got under way. The Friary started well and went on the attack straight away and dominated the first half of the match.

The spectators were certainly treated to a high standard of play from both teams and there was an excellent example of this, when from a free kick outside the box, Katie Wilkinson struck the ball which shot over the heads of all the players and into the back of the net, taking Friary 1-0 into the lead - a professional footballer would have been delighted with such a goal.

The next goal came from an excellent shot from inside the box from Catherine Knight which took the Friary into a 2-0 lead and this score line was held as the teams went in at half time.

As expected Frances Bardsley came out fighting after half time and early on put the ball in the back of the net; unfortunately for Frances Bardsley the linesman had raised her flag to indicate off side. This seemed to spur the Friary on and Katie Wilkinson produced her second goal of the game and took them into a 3-0 lead.

The Friary now had a comfortable lead, but Frances Bradsley never gave up and fought back strongly putting in two goals which took the score line to 3-2 with five minutes of the match still to play. We had to produce some very strong defensive play to ensure the opposition did not score again. With fifty eight minutes of play gone it was announced that there would be two extra minutes added on for stoppages, these four minutes were the longest four minutes of the players and spectators lives, the clock seem to go backwards.

When eventually the final whistle went the score line read 3-2 and the U13 Girls Football Team from the Friary had become the Minute Maid National Cup winners.

The road to victory: -

Preliminary rounds: -

                            Friary v Cheslyn Hay, Staffordshire 9-1

                            Friary v St John Fisher, Newcastle, Staffordshire 16-0

                            Friary v Painsley Catholic School, Cheadle, Staffordshire 8-2

                            Friary v Sundorne School, Shrewsbury, Shropshire 7-1

                            Friary v Thomas Telford, Shropshire 5-1

Midland rounds: -    

                            Friary v Sandwell Academy, West Bromwich 10-0

                            Friary v Rugby School, Warwickshire 5-1

                            Friary v Thomas Telford, Shropshire 2-1

Midland final: -

                           Friary v Leysland School, Leicester 3-1

North Semi Final: -

                           Friary v Fallibroome School, Cheshire 2-1

National Cup Final at Ricoh Arena, Coventry: -

                           Friary v Frances Bardsley School, Essex 3-2

U13 Girls' Football Squad: -

Back row: - Natalie Jones, Laura Eggington, Jordan Hill, Sarah Nicholas, Josie Balla, Abbie Hulme and Katie Burke,.

Front row: - Beth Merrick, Alana Edwards, Alex Liddiard, Katie Wilkinson (captain), McKenzie Fedrick, Sarah Nicholas, Tammie O'Sullivan and Catherine Kinght.