Preston's girls shine in national football tournament

The girls came runners-up in the National Finals of the Premier League District Cup held at Derby County’s Moor Farm training ground.

To reach the finals, the Preston girls came through a regional tournament held earlier in the year.

The national finals saw eight teams from around the country take part, with them split into two groups.

Preston topped their group, playing three games without conceding a goal.

In the semi-final, they beat Sunderland 1-0.

They played Haringey in the final and went down to a narrow 1-0 defeat.

The team was: Grace Hartley, Keira Price, Macy Darley, Emma Tunstall, Sarah Reid, Eden Baptiste, Grace Jemson, Lola Fannon, Olivia Wilding, Jasmine Skiba, Olivia Wright, Zharah Dymon and Scarlett Dawson.

They are drawn from seven primary schools – Lea Endowed, Blessed Sacrament, Fulwood and Cadley, Sherwood, St Andrews, Goosnargh Oliversons and Barton St Lawrence.

The team is coached by local school teachers Nick Johns and James Kay.

The Preston team was only formed last year.

Last season, they played three friendly games before stepping things up this year.

At the 1966 anniversary tournament in Liverpool, they finished runners-up on goal difference, while they reached the northern finals.

Several of the team are on the books of Preston North End girls and one is at Blackburn Rovers’ academy.

In April, the team got a new kit from DIY firm Wickes as part of the Wickes Kits for Kids campaign – PNE striker Jordan Hugill presented the girls with the white and blue kit at Deepdale.