THERE was delight as Ashton-based Sala Futsal Club scored with a first-ever victory in the Pokemon FA Youth Futsal Cup.
The Under-16s were crowned national champions in the finals which were held at Wolverhampton University’s Walsall campus.
The four regional winners contested the finals and the U16s defeated Braintree 4-2 in the semi-finals and St Peter’s CoE Aided School, Exeter, in a dramatic final.
Sala were 3-2 ahead with seconds left only to concede an equaliser which forced a penalty shootout decider which the local side triumphed 3-2 with Billy Midgley scoring the winning kick.
Four of the Sala side are from Mossley Hollins High School – Keano and Bayley Wassall, Jacob Tohill and Noah Lucas.
The squad also included Saddleworth School students Midgley and Alfie Milovanovic and Lewis Lamkin, a pupil at Oldham’s Bluecoat School.
Sala were the only club to have three teams in the finals as they were joined by the U12 and U14 girls’ teams.
The U12s, mainly comprising Tameside-based players, beat Hunter District 5-4 in the semi-final with last kick of the game after trailing 4-1 with nine minutes remaining – all games were 15 minutes each way – only to lose in final 4-2 to London’s HFR Haringey.
The U14s lost their semi-final to HFR Haringey 4-2 then beat Marine Academy, Plymouth, 9-0 in play off for third place.
Neil Lucas, who founded the club in 2009, said: “It was an amazing day. The U16 age group is the crème de la crème and to be crowned national champions at that age was special.
“The competition is in two-year age bands and only two of our 10 players were U16s with eight eligible for next season, so we have a great chance of retaining our title.”
Sala U16 boys finished third in the 2017 finals, the club’s best previous run in the competition.
This was the first time any of the girls’ teams had qualified for the finals.
“To have a first, second and third in a national tournament is not bad going,” added Mossley-based Neil.
Neil’s son Lucas, the U16s captain, is about to begin a two-year scholarship at FC Halifax Town.
To reach the finals, Sala’s team had to successfully negotiate the Manchester County Football Association’s regional qualifier the Manchester City’s former training complex at Platt Lane, Moss Side.
The Under-10 and U16 boys and U12 and U14 girls were all victorious and then represented the Manchester County FA in the northern finals which will be held at Northumbria University in early June.
The Sala club, started in 2009, has roots in Mossley as Neil is from the town. It trains at Great Academy Ashton.
Until lockdown, the club also hired the facilities at Mossley Hollins High School. Their home ground is the indoor hall at Wright Robinson Sports College, Gorton.
Anyone interested in taking up futsal and contact Neil Lucas on 07790 779007 or email neil@salasoccerschools.com or visit www.salasoccerschools.com