Kicking off the year is style for the William Howards girls football team.

This under 13s team is made up of first and second year students who have been playing together since the start of term. Unlike a lot of teams this one has the chance to make it to Wembley.

Reece Davies PE Teacher at William Howard School said: "

The team is made up of girls in years 7 & 8 and have represented the school as a team since September (around 10 girls in total). They are an excellent team to coach because they listen to advice and replicate skills and tactics to the best of their ability and that's all I can ask of them.

Although the girls are in different year groups they interact well as a team which is reflected in their team cohesion on the pitch. After a long drive from Carlisle to Bolton (7:20am leave), the girls lost their opening game against Accrington Stanley but showed resilience and determination, as a team, to not lose for the remaining 6 games of the tournament.

To reach the Northern regions final in Leeds is a fantastic achievement, especially when the standard of teams at the area finals was so high. I'm immensely proud of the way the girls played in Bolton and the character they showed to win despite some very tense moments (penalties in the semi finals and final). The school will again represent Carlisle United and are one of 4 EFL representitive schools to play for a place at Wembley. Should they be successful they will represent the North of England and play the Southern finalists before the Checkatrade Trophy final in March.

You can never tell how tournament football will go and to have no prior knowledge of the teams you are playing makes it more difficult. The girls in the U13 girls team have incredible ability, individually and as a squad, and I am certain they will go to the northern finals and give a very good account of themselves. If they play to the level they are capable of then I'm sure they will be there or thereabouts at the close of play on the day.