SCHOOLS' FOOTBALL

VALE of White Horse came through a dramatic penalty shoot-out 3-2 against Cambridge & District in the ESFA Under 15 Trophy fifth round at Milton United.

The last-16 tie finished 1-1 after extra time, with Remi Fawcus-Williams’s 15-yard drive for Cambridge in the second half of normal time being cancelled out by Jack Ploszynski’s first goal for Vale.

With Jared Jones, Sam Barder and Robbie Cundy netting Vale’s first three penalties and Cambridge missing twice, it looked certain the hosts would progress.

But then Owen Shaw and Eddie Cavanagh saw their spot-kicks strike a post, while Cambridge netted with penalty No 4, before their final attempt was blazed over.

It means Vale go into the last eight for only the second time when they will face an away trip to Swansea or Poole & East Dorset.

Mason Curtis, who ran tirelessly in midfield, was Vale’s man-of-the-match, while Cundy and Luke Thorne shone in defence.

  • VALE of White Horse Under 13s staged a fightback to draw 2-2 at Gosport & Fareham in the Meeson Trophy.

Trailing 2-0 after 30 minutes, Vale pulled a goal back when Joseph Clarke netted from six yards before the break.

And Vale equalised after the interval when Murray Bellis took advantage of a goalkeeping error to shoot into an empty net.

  • VALE of White Horse Under 11s went down 4-2 to Portsmouth in the County League at Moneyfields FC.

Goals from Calum Sykes and James Ormrod soon after the break cancelled out Portsmouth’s half-time lead, but the hosts scored twice more to claim victory.

  • CHENEY, Oxford, suffered heartbreak in the ESFA Under 13 Girls Schools’ Cup with a 5-4 defeat after extra time at Fullbrook School, Woking, in the sixth round.

Molly Lygo-Jackson (2), Lily Hernandez and Courtney Sumner made up Cheney’s tally.

In the boys competitions, Marlborough, Woodstock, bowed out of the ESFA Under 12 Danone Nations Schools’ Cup with a 4-0 defeat at Forest Hill School, Blackheath, in the sixth round.

Jardell Adeyinka-Francis scored twice in the first half, with Korrey Henry bagging a brace after the break.