School reaches national last 16 ; Youth football

ST MARTINS School's Year 10 football team have reached the last16 of the National Cup and the Quarter-Finals of the Essex andDistrict competitions.

The progress comes off the back of an unbeaten run spanning thewhole of 2010.

In the National Cup they have beaten seven teams in some closegames. In the last round Callum Boath scored twice, the last withfive minutes to go to defeat Kirkley High from Lowestoft, Suffolk, 2-1. The previous round was the toughest victory as they travelled toBerkshire to defeat an excellent Forest Boys' School 2-0. Theclosest game was away where they let slip a two goal lead only forgoalkeeper James Southgate to score and save to win a penaltyshootout at King's Langley School.

The team will playing either St Paul's Academy, Bromley or StAndrews, Worthing in the next round.

In the Essex Cup a superb team performance saw Southend Highdefeated 4-0 in the round of 16. In the quarter-final they will playthe Billericay School.

In addition to the team's success captain Matthew Dicks andcreative midfielder Thomas Lapslie have been selected to representEssex this season.