GIRLS’ football is flourishing at a school which has enjoyed much sporting success over the past year.

A team from Haydon Bridge High School finished second at the Tyne and Wear Schoolgirls’ U16 Football Championships.

The competition saw the youngsters go head-to-head against highly-rated young players from larger schools across the region.

Haydon Bridge won all but one of their matches in the seven-a-side tournament, against Whickham School in Gateshead, who pipped them to the title.

Goalkeeper Hannah Johnson was in outstanding form, and was the first line of defence on which the team was based on.

Chloe Hutchinson, Emily Barclay, Rhea Atkinson, Eleanor Sowerby, Emily Morrison, Lauren Graham, Emilie Harrison, and Charlotte Anderson, all played their part in the achievement. Team captain Emily Barclay was the team’s top scorer.

Liz Hicks, the school’s head of PE, said: “I was really pleased for the girls. They love their football and they showed what they were capable of against a high calibre of opposition.”

Football is now part of the curriculum for girls at Haydon Bridge, a far cry from previous generations when girls were more likely to play netball and hockey.

Liz added: “Attitudes to football for girls and women have changed. Women footballers are now household names.

“You can name members of the England women’s team off the top of your head. They are role models for our youngsters, and it’s great to see the women’s game get such a lot of coverage in the media now.”

Haydon Bridge High’s Year 7 team also made its mark at the tournament. The team of Katy Scott, Holly Bell (top scorer), Rebecca Bell, Imogen Hamilton, Claudia Pattinson, Gabrielle Sparke, and Jasmin Richardson (goalkeeper), took the lead in every game.

The success at the tournament has been inspired by the Game of our Own initiative, which is part of a Football Association scheme to increase female participation.

As part of the programme, 65 pupils at Haydon Bridge High have become young sports leaders, where they support younger pupils with their development.

“It builds confidence,” said Liz. “We have a Year 7 indoor athletics event coming up, and two Year 11 pupils are going to be team managers.”