Goalie Nathan Craig scores as Whitworth Community High School win football tournament

Footballing success for Years 8 and 9 from Whitworth Community High School

Football stars from Whitworth Community High School not only walked off with an inter-school trophy, even the goalie scored.

The team of Year 8 and 9 students played six matches of quick football at Tor View in Haslingden with just seven minutes for each game.

Goalie Nathan Craig, 13, from Year 8 said: “I went to boot the ball up to one of my teammates from the goal line and it just bounced then went over the head of the goalie on the other side and into the back of the net.

“All of the other players just ran to me to congratulate me and I was very shocked. We ended up winning that match 2-0 and in all the games we played, I never let a goal in.”

Teams from Haslingden High School, All Saints, Alder Grange, Fearns and Tor View were competing and Whitworth came first on points having won five matches, drawn one and lost none. Fearns was second and Alder Grange third.

Apart from Nathan’s goal, the other five that Whitworth netted were all off the boot of striker Adam Whiteman.

The team kept morale up by following their PE teacher Will Cawley’s advice and always thinking that they may lose and so they kept working hard to make sure they won.

Defender Ben Harrison said: “When Nathan scored I was not playing and we all watched as the ball just flew up the pitch and then we saw the net was moving and the ball was in the back. It was hilarious to watch.

“We played the first three matches one straight after the other and that was hard. When we found out we had won we were all cheering.”

The footballers were rewarded for their success with medals and an invitation to a special coffee morning with Headteacher Gill Middlemas.