Impact of England Lionesses’ summer success on full show at South Cambs School Sport Partnership football competition

Inspired by the success of the England’s Lionesses this summer, 180 girls took to the football pitches at Histon & Impington Recreation Ground last week for South Cambs School Sport Partnership’s annual competition.

Teams of Year 5/6 girls from 17 schools across the district took part in the competition.

Schools were split into four groups and played each in other in a round robin format before qualifying into Divisions 1-4 based on their performances in the group stages.

The top placed teams that qualified into Division 1 for the next round of matches were Harston & Newton, Histon & Impington Brook, Trumpington Park, University of Cambridge Primary and Swavesey.

Teams again played each other in a series of round robin matches and there were lots of closely contested matches and tight scorelines.

It was the team from Histon & Impington Brook who came out top and finished the day as deserved winners with seven wins, one draw, 13 goals scored and none conceded in their eight matches.

The only team to take a point off them – University of Cambridge Primary School – finished as runners-up and both schools now qualify to represent South Cambs at the county finals early next year.

Winners of Division 2 were Histon & Impington Brook II, Division 3 was won by Hatton Park and Pendragon were winners of Division 4.

As well as medals for the winners and runners-up, all of the teams received certificates and there was a special ‘Spirit of the Games Award’ which was presented to the team from Trumpington Park Primary School for showing great teamwork and respect whilst taking part in their first girls football competition as a school.

Partnership manager Claire McDonnell said: “It was lovely to see so many girls coming together to play football for their school team and getting to compete against other schools.

“The girls told us this is what they loved about the event, just getting to play against other schools and having fun with their friends.

“They all played with smiles on their faces which was lovely to see and the standard of play gets better every year which is really encouraging.

“The Football Fun Factory also attended the event with their inflatable dartboard which was a real hit with the girls who loved testing their skills on this between matches.

“We are also thankful to the students from Cambridge Regional College who helped to referee and score all of the matches and the Girls Football Activators from Impington and Cambourne Village Colleges who helped with the overall running of the event, organising the score table and coaching one of the teams.”