FOOTBALL: St Birinus go marching on (From Bicester Advertiser)

FOOTBALL: St Birinus go marching on

10:00am Wednesday 13th March 2013 in Sport

SCHOOLS' FOOTBALL

ST Birinus (Didcot) marched into the last eight of the ESFA Under 15 Schools’ Cup with a thrilling 4-2 home win over Stantonbury Campus (Milton Keynes).

By reaching the quarter-finals, it equalled the school’s previous best performance in the competition, which attrac-ted an entry of 770 teams.

Now they will travel to Bristol to face Winterbourne International Academy, with the prospect of a final at Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium only two games away.

Seth Humphries opened the scoring in the seventh-round tie with a measured shot from Jack Westhead’s lay-off.

Matt Payne then met Jack Powell’s free-kick with a powerful header to double St Birinus’s lead. Stantonbury pulled a goal back five minutes into the second half when Tyler Dalton rose headed home a corner.

And the tie appeared to be heading for extra time when Simone Datsomor levelled with a penalty.

But St Birinus were then awarded a spot-kick of their own, which Jack Powell scored from at the second attempt after his first effort – which was saved before he followed up to score – was ruled out for encroachment.

And the Didcot lads sealed victory when Boyan Crook netted from a Powell cross.

• DIDCOT Girls School will take on Tanbridge House (Horsham) in the ESFA Under 13 Girls’ Schools’ Cup semi-final at Broadbridge Heath Leisure Centre on March 25 (2).

The Oxon Under 16 Girls’ Cup final between Didcot and Cherwell (Oxford) scheduled for the Oxford United Academy tomorrow has been postponed for a second time.