Warden Park girls finish the season as county champions

Warden Park’s U16 girl’s football team have finished the season as Sussex County Cup Champions to maintain the school’s record of having at least one girl’s team as County Champions four years in a row.
By The Newsroom
Published 29th Apr 2014, 13:15 BST
Warden Park under 16sWarden Park under 16s
Warden Park under 16s

This win is the first ever at u16 age group with previous 3 wins at u13 level.

More impressively, this team won the County Cup at u13 level, 3 years ago and means they have been unbeaten in County football.

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On Friday 25th April at Haywards Heath football club the u16 girl’s final was held between Warden Park Academy and Uplands Community College. Nerves took centre stage in the first 20 minutes resulting in a tense affair. When players had composed themselves, Warden Park started to put Uplands under some pressure and started to play some good football and always looking dangerous from corners. The first goal came as a result of a corner, with a great delivery not being able to be cleared and Lauren Callaghan picked the ball up near the edge of the area, created some space for herself and arrowed the ball in the bottom corner. The game remained 1-0 until the half time interval and a much deserved lead for the school from Cuckfield.

The second half did not start how the first ended and now it was Uplands turn to put the pressure on Warden Park. Uplands were awarded a free kick on the edge of the area and the Uplands player calmly placed the free kick into the net. Just 5 minutes later Uplands slammed the ball against the post much to the relief of everyone associated with Warden Park. This fortunate escape galvanised the Park girl’s and seemed to relax them into getting the ball on the floor and dominate the midfield. With 15 minutes left on the clock, Lauren Callaghan was once again able to move the ball to her left foot get round a defender and slot the ball into the corner to give Warden Park a 2-1 lead. In the last 10 minutes as Uplands tried to push for an equaliser, Warden Park created a number of opportunities to increase the lead but with good defending and good goal keeping they were unable to score a third.

In the last 5 minutes Warden Park used all their experience to relieve the pressure until the full time whistle.

The final was a great advert for girl’s football in Sussex and a thoroughly enjoyable game. Mr Corke, the teams coach had this to say. ‘This team was the first girls team to win a competition whilst I have been here and as some of them prepare to leave the school this year, it is fitting that they leave as Champions. They put a great performance in tonight for all those supporting and for themselves and they should be extremely proud of the win and all of their achievements.’