HABERDASHERS’ Aske’s Knights Academy are the under-13 ‘Minute Maid’ Schools Cup English national champions after a 1-0 victory over South Holderness Technology College at Doncaster Rovers’ Keepmoat Stadium. A superb 55th minute strike from Gemma Porter settled a nail-biting tie and secured the Minute Maid Schools Cup, the largest tournament of its kind in Europe. The Grove Park-based side played 12 matches in the competition, scoring 96 goals and only conceding seven. Two members of the squad have already been signed by Charlton Athletic and Millwall. Coach Abigail Biggs said “This win has been down to their commitment to training, their dedication to each other and their sheer determination. “I am really proud of them all.”
A Nottinghamshire team won the ‘Minute Maid’ Schools Cup for the second successive season as West Bridgford defeated Queens’ School from Hertfordshire 2-1 in the Final at the Keepmoat Stadium. West Bridgford gradually took control with Danny Elliot causing the Queens’ defence problems down the left and they took the lead in the 17th minute when a corner by Will Krafts was met with a towering header by Pierce Bramley. A minute later, another cross from Krafts had the keeper back-pedalling and as he was challenged, Joe Hardbottle bundled the ball home. Elliot hit the bar from another corner and although Queens’ should have pulled a goal back as Michael Lipman slipped and the Bridgford defence scrambled the ball away three times, the woodwork saved Queens’ once again as man-of-the-match Nitin Mishra fired in a shot from 30-yards just before the interval. Queens’ pulled a goal back with a 30-yard shot from their captain Nathan Osaji, but it wasn’t to be for the team from Bushey. 
For more photographs from Doncaster click here.