ST Bartholomews Primary School have been crowned Hyndburn Kids Cup champions for the second successive year - but they were made to work hard for the title.

The Great Harwood school only reached the knockout stages on account of having scored more goals than St Nicholas to finish runner-up behind St Peter and St Paul’s in Group A.

But the super Saints made the most of their narrow escape to be crowned champions once again.

St Barts got off to a slow start in the group as they were held to a 1-1 draw by St Annes and St Joseph’s before slipping to a 1-0 defeat to St Peter and St Paul’s.

The pressure was now on, knowing another slip up would cost them - but they responded like true champions.

A 3-0 win over St Nicholas - which ultimately proved decisive - was followed up by a 1-0 win over Peel Park.

In the semi final, the Saints were now in top form as they eased to a 3-0 win over St Mary’s Oswaldtwistle to set up another showdown with St Peter and St Paul’s and it proved to be the sweetest of revenge missions as, with a penalty shoot-out looming, St Barts grabbed a dramatic last-gasp winner.

“It was a great final,” said Helen Lawton who managed the team. “To win the cup for a second successive year is a great achievement and we are all very proud.

“The team have worked very hard over the last couple of years and train after school every week. We are a pretty sporting school and have won a few other borough titles and PE is very important to us.”

She added: “The group stage was pretty tight and I didn’t actually realise we got through on goal difference. But the team were superb and after a slow start got better and better.”

The Kids Cup - a six-a-side competition for Year Five and Six pupils - was the first event on the Hyndburn and Ribble Valley schools sporting calendar.

Run by the Hyndburn and Ribble Valley School Sports Partnership, in association with Accrington Stanley, a total of 10 teams competed for the right to represent the Reds in the next round of the competition.

The event showcased the amount of talented young players in Accrington and the surrounding areas.

The teams were split into two groups and each played the other teams in the group.

There were strong performances in both groups but St Peter and Pauls, St Nicholas, St Bart’s, St Marys Oswaldtwistle, Huncoat and Belthorn all put in impressive displays.

The top two teams went forward to the semi-finals so joining St Peter and Pauls and St Barts in last four were Group B winners, St Marys Oswaldtwistle and runners-up Huncoat

The semi finals were tense affairs but St Bartholomew’s proved to be just too good for St Marys Oswaldtwistle while St Peter and Pauls booked their place in the final after beating Huncoat in a penalty shoot-out.

The third and fourth play-off saw Huncoat and St Marys Oswaldtwistle battle out a 1-1 draw to share third place.

In the final itself, it had appeared St Peter and Pauls were on course for another penalty shoot-out but St Barts had other ideas as they left it late to net the winner.

The winners and the runners-up - plus Huncoat and St Marys Oswaldtwistle - will now represent Hyndburn against the best four teams from the Ribble Valley to see who will represent Accrington Stanley in the next round.

The Ribble Valley Kids Cup takes place at St Augustine’s on Friday.

Jane Johnson from the Hyndburn and Ribble Valley School Sports Partnership was delighted to see not only football of the highest quality but also seeing youngsters playing with a smile on their face.

“It was fantastic to see the quality of the football on show,” she said.

“The final games could all have gone either way so the next round of competition will be a competitive event.”