Seevic College’s Score Football Academy has returned from a successful trip to Malta which saw them take on the island’s best youth team.

Hamrun Spartans FC invited the Seevic College side to visit the Mediterranean island.

The Maltese club have just won the professional youth league and their squad boasted seven international youth players.

But they proved no match for the Benfleet campus team.

Coach Leon Woodford said, “The training complex was unique as it had a full size third-generation Astroturf pitch on the roof of the complex, with all the changing and equipment rooms up there as well.”

The players trained each day at the complex and had a warm-up game against a semi-pro men’s team in preparation for the showpiece game against Spartans.

The game was played in the club’s main stadium in front of a small home crowd.

After 26 minutes Seevic College introduced Tilbury’s Paul Harrington, 16, and he made an impact by creating a darting run into the Hamrun penalty area.

He was brought down and received a penalty which Henry Russell converted.

Just five minutes later Harrington cut past three Maltese defenders and slotted home.

Seevic went further in front early in the second half when centre forward, Benfleet’s Ryan Raynford-Tierney, 17, made it 3-0.

Hamrun pulled a goal back with 15 minutes left.

Seevic College have already started plans for a trip in 2013. Coach Dave Thompson added: “We are looking a bit further afield and Chicago is a big possibility.

“We now have to prepare for the National Cup quarter final and we also have our trials for the season squad so it is still a very busy time for everyone involved.”