Brenna McPartlan turned in a five-star performance as St Bede’s were crowned girls under 14s seven-a-side Blackburn and Darwen champions.

The Saints skipper proved to be an inspirational leader as she scored FIVE of her side’s goals as St Bede’s ‘B’ beat St Wilfrid’s 7-2 in the final.

Brilliant Brenna got her team going with the opening goal of the game as the Saints went from strength to strength to eventually run out comfortable winners.

But they didn’t get it all their own way and St Wilfrid’s at least had the pleasure of knowing they scored the goal of game – a real pile-driver from Caitlin Roxbury that lit up the final.

St Wilfrid’s had caused something of an upset in the semi finals when they beat a St Bede’s ‘A’ 5-0 who had been the form team in the group stages.

But there was to be a ‘home’ presence in the final as St Bede’s ‘B’ beat an everimproving Pleckgate side by the same scoreline.

The teams had reached the semi finals after finishing in the top four of a league that had been held in the lead up to Christmas.

A total of nine schools took part, competing every week in a round robin league format. Teams from Darwen Aldridge Community Academy, Our Lady and St John, Witton Park, Blackburn Central High school, St Wilfrid’s, Pleckgate and three teams from St Bede’s all played each other once over five weeks.

Once the league was complete, the top four teams made it through to the knockout stages.

St Bede’s ‘A’ topped the league with an unbeaten record, winning seven and drawing one of their eight matches. The school’s ‘B’ team, also undefeated, were second with six wins and two draws with Pleckgate third and St Wilfrid’s fourth.

But St Wilfrid’s upset the form book when they beat the previously dominant St Bede’s ‘A’ 5-0.

St Bede’s then went on to lose 3-1 to Pleckgate in the third and fourth place play-off – a well-deserved reward for the Pleckgate girls who had shown real improvement and a great attitude over the course of the tournament.

School Games organiser Andrew Mercer said: “I was really impressed by the atmosphere in which this competition was played as well as the standard of football on display “I would also like to thank the St Bede’s Young Ambassadors Neeve Hulton, Harry Starkie and Nathan Hartshorne for giving up their time to referee all of the games in this competition.”