Asfordby Amateurs the bridesmaids again after penalty shoot-out loss

Amateurs took their Under 12s Aces and Diamonds and after their opening few matches both teams topped their groups.

The Diamonds kicked off with a win against Leicester Ladies Fosse Blue, while the Aces beat Leicester Ladies Fosse Yellow.

But the Diamonds had to settle for third place and a group stage exit, but Aces finished unbeaten and top of their group after some excellent results against Leicester 66 and other local rivals as well as teams from further afield.

In the semi-finals they edged past tough opponents St Johns FC 1-0 after a great team display to set up a final against hosts and reigning League One champions Cosby Ravens.

The game saw a host of chances from both teams in a fast-paced end-to-end match. Keeper Hope Metcalf made some fantastic one-on-one saves on her birthday to keep Asfordby in the game as it ended 0-0 after normal time.

The teams remained deadlocked after extra time, and Cosby won the game on penalties, after seeing the brave Evie McDaid and Rhea Manning’s penalties saved.

But the girls continued to show great promise and another trophy for the soon-to-be Asfordby U13s squad.

Players of the tournament for Asfordby were Lauren Farrow with an excellent defensive display and new signing Manning for her vital goals and great skills on debut.