WITH their hopes of England glory now gone, under 14 footballing students at Haslingden High School are focusing on retaining their Lancashire Cup crown.
In the English Schools’ Football Association PlayStation Cup, the quarter-final was played at Haslingden and it was a rerun of 2022 as the students faced the same team, South Hunsley School and Sixth Form College from East Riding.
Daisy Botham said: “Within the first 10 minutes they had got two goals and then we got our first from a penalty taken by Summer Jackson so it was 2-1 at half time.
“Ella Collinson got the second to draw level and then she scored our third goal and we were all buzzing.”
Centre back Senaiya Knill said: “It was a really good game, when Ella scored again, I fell to my knees and we all thought we had won.”
However, with around 10 to 15 minutes left to play there was a foul and South Hunsley scored from a free kick.
With the match seemingly heading to penalties, just like the previous year, in the final two minutes South Hunsley put another in the net.
Senaiya said: “We wanted it more than they did, but we should have taken our opportunities.”
The Haslingden team, captained by Manchester United Regional Talent Club player Dixie Third, is now focusing on their next match against Hodgson Academy from Poulton le Fylde, in the final of the Lancashire Cup on March 21.
A number of the Haslingden High School students play for the county team and for other teams including Bolton, Blackburn Rovers and Accrington Stanley so they already know a number of the students on the opposing team.
Daisy added: “We want to win it even more because of losing out in the quarter final; it has given us more desire to win the Lancashire Cup.”
- Haslingden High School’s U16s team beat Balshaw’s High School 3-1 to progress into the Lancashire Cub semi-finals.