Harleston Magpies Under-12 girls finish runners-up in National Championship

Harleston Magpies Under-12s girls came agonisingly close to winning the National Championship at Nottingham, losing 1-0 to Sevenoaks in the final.

The team put in a series of superb performances to come through the group stages unbeaten, the stand-out result being a 2-1 victory over multiple former champions Surbiton.

The final was a repeat of the Eastern Region Championship match which Magpies had won on penalty flicks a few weeks earlier. After a goalless first half Sevenoaks created more chances and got what proved to be the winner from a short corner. The initial shot was saved but in the resulting melee the ball was powered over the line.

The Kent team then got everyone behind the ball and held out to win, leaving Magpies as silver medallists after an outstanding showing against the best in the country.

Centre forward Amie Hunt finished as the tournament's highest scorer with eight goals.

Squad (with goals in brackets): Alex Pearson-Smith, Amie Hunt (8), Beth Gardens (2), Daisy Wicks, Emily Clarke (1), Evie Wheeler, Natalie Saunders (1), Jasmine Freeman, Catherine Pope, Harriet Soper. Coaches Nick McAllen and Cathy Gardens, Assist coach Sandra Elliner, team manager Michael Soper.