BUDDING football stars at Lee Chapel Primary School are celebrating a number of success stories.

The girls’ football team recently secured their second trophy of the campaign after winning the Thurrock Primary Schools Cup – having previously won the Basildon Cup earlier in the year. The girls played 20 matches in the run up to the final, without conceding any goals.

The girls beat Warren Primary of Grays, St Thomas of Canterbury School and Harris Academy in the first round before beating Arthur Bulger School, in Stanford, 2-0 in the semi-finals.

They played Corringham Primary School in the final, winning 2-0 once again to secure the Thurrock cup for the first time.

Meanwhile the boys year 5 and 6 teams can also look forward to a final appearance, having progressed to the finals of the Basildon Primary Schools’ Cup for a record third year in a row.

Echo:

Lee Chapel Primary School's boys' football team

Open to more than 50 schools in the borough, their run to the final included victories against Ghyllgrove Junior (5-0), Bardfield Primary (6-0) and Northlands Junior School (8-3).

A win in the quarter-final clash against St Margaret’s Primary School saw a semi-final against Great Berry Primary which, after finishing 0-0 after extra time, was won by Lee Chapel 4 – 3 on penalties.

The boys will now face the winners of Buttsbury Junior and Willows Primary in the final, which is due to be played at James Hornsby Secondary School in the coming weeks.

Ian Hampshire, assistant headteacher at Lee Chapel, said: “The boys and girls of Lee Chapel train in all weathers and these victories are a reward for their hard work and commitment. They have inspired the next generation of footballers at the school; we start training from Year 1 and the younger children cannot wait to represent Lee Chapel in the future.”