Both our under 9s and under 10s have been successful at the Wigan Tournament, with our under 10s finishing runners up and our under 9s being crowned champions!
Fantastic results and looks like we’ve got a lot of talent coming through from our youngest teams!
The U9s Team Manager, Peter Sidebottom wrote about his team……
It seems ironic the team went through the entire tournament without losing a match or conceding a goal, yet we were on the verge of being knocked out in the last game of the second round of group stages by a strong Burnley Girls side. We had topped the preliminary group stages with a 4-0, 6-0 and 1-0 wins but the second round proved a lot tougher. With two nil – nil draws already in the bag we needed nothing less than a win to get through to the final giving us 5 points. This would make us top of the table with two other teams from the second round of group tied already on 4 points each and with the same goal difference.
The tournament final was now to be decided on the outcome of our match against Burnley Girls. Burnley Girls had 3 points after having won one game and lost one game and now need a win or possibly a draw to get through. The atmosphere became electric at pitch-side. Burnley Girls dominated short spells of the game but PNE’s back line was strong and well organised and had an answer for anything asked of it. With an injury just before half time Olivia was substituted on and with fresh legs helped turn the tide in our favour. With little or nothing to choose between both teams, what was a nail-biting, cliff hanger of a match, PNE finally in the dying embers of the game, broke the Burnley backline and Olivia passed an easy ball around the back of the Burnley keeper, literally seconds before the final whistle, sealing the match win and place in the final. The Preston parents exploded with jubilation and the tension was lifted with joy and exaltation replacing the mounted trepidation of an unwelcome exit home. The 1-0 win put us top of the table again now with 5 points against the tied Mersey girls and Bury Girls teams, but Mersey Girls went through to the final because they had previously beaten Bury 1-0.
The team went on to win the final 2-0 after an early goal straight from the kick off intercepted by Olivia, slotted a ball out wide to Holly on the right wing who shot instantly from distance with a trailblazer of a shot in to the bottom corner of the net. This early goal helped Preston settle some initial nerves and built a growing confidence throughout the team as we began to take a foothold in the game. Halfway through the match after a period of sustained pressure in their half of the pitch, a series of passes released Emma through on goal and to evade the Mersey keeper and finish at point blank and dampen Mersey hopes of a late comeback.
Honours go to Kelsey Corcoran, Macy Darley, Isabelle Duckett, Chloe Evans, Ella Thorpe, Emma Sidebottom, Jasmine Skiba, Holly Tickle and Olivia Wilding.
Olivia was also awarded the u9s Play of the Tournament Trophy!
A big thank you to the parents and players who upheld the good name of PNE Girls proving to be great ambassadors for the Club. See you all down at training for more thrills and spills.
Take a look at all the pictures from the tournament in our gallery…..