Footballers net national cup glory

Buckswood School is basking in the glory of winning a national football competition.
The national title-winning Buckswood School football team celebrates at St Andrew'sThe national title-winning Buckswood School football team celebrates at St Andrew's
The national title-winning Buckswood School football team celebrates at St Andrew's

The Guestling-based school clinched the English Schools’ FA Premier League Under-16 Small Schools’ Cup after winning 3-1 against Batley Grammar School (Spen Valley) in the final.

Second half goals from Ryan Harffey and an Archie Davies double fired Buckswood to glory at St Andrew’s, the home of Birmingham City Football Club, last Friday afternoon.

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A Buckswood spokesman said: “This is a fantastic achievement for the football team and the school as a whole.

“(Headmaster/principal) Mr Sutton has commented that he hasn’t ever experienced such an ‘all in it together’ moment as he did on Friday when everyone at school was waiting in anticipation for news of the match as it progressed.

“Upon hearing the result, hearty congratulations were offered up from all quarters. Consequently, he has announced that one afternoon in the near future the whole school will be off timetable as a reward!”

After a goalless first half containing few chances for either side, Davies started to dominate the midfield and Buckswood gradually got on top. Harffey opened the scoring following some great work by Alan Toktassyn.

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The goal spurred Buckswood on and Davies broke free from his two markers before unleashing a 25-yard screamer into the top corner to make it 2-0.

Following some excellent work by that man Davies and the industrious Keita Endo, Toktassyn was brought down in the box for a last minute penalty. After a lengthy delay, player of the tournament Davies slotted home Buckswood’s third goal.

Sloppy defending in the last 30 seconds allowed Batley a consolation, but the final whistle blew shortly afterwards to confirm Buckswood as the ‘champions of England’.

Although Davies was player of the match, it was a real team performance and a special effort from Andrew Orr in the heart of the midfield helped win the game.

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Buckswood’s victory caused something of a storm on social media site Twitter with congratulatory comments being sent to the school from far and wide, including the Premier League and many of its eight million followers.

This is the first year that the English Schools’ FA Premier League Under-16 Small Schools’ Cup - which is open to schools with fewer than 65 year 11 boys on their roll - has taken place.

Buckswood beat the competition favourites South Nottinghamshire Academy (South Notts) 4-1 at the semi-final stage having previously knocked out Ibstock Place School (Richmond) 2-0, Battle Abbey School (South East Sussex) 4-0, Ursuline College (Thanet) 4-1 and Lingfield Notre Dame (South Surrey) 2-0. In total they scored 19 goals and conceded just three.

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