Liverpool’s Archbishop Beck College’s under-12s earn trip to Brazil after dramatic cup final victory at Goodison

May 28 2009 by Tim Johnson, Maghull and Aintree Star

THE samba beat could be echoing around the corridors of Liverpool’s Archbishop Beck Catholic College, following their 2-1 victory over Richard Challoner School, from Surrey, in the under-12s national schools cup final.

The reason the lads may be moving to the South American rhythm is their reward for victory – an invitation, by sponsors, Danone, to be England’s representatives in a football tournament in Brazil.

Speaking from Berlin, where the school were on an end-of-season tour, the delighted team manager Richie Kyle said: “It’s a dream come true for the lads. I hardly know any details, but I believe it will take place in Sao Paulo during October. It will be a fantastic experience. We were delighted to get back to winning ways after losing to SFX in the Merseyside final, I think this is only the second time boys from our school have won an ESFA title – the last time was in 2005.”

The hero of the final staged at Goodison Park, was Rhys Hardacre, who kept his cool to slot home the winner with only two minutes remaining.

Earlier, in the first half, Brian Lee had scored from the penalty spot, after Ryan Ellison had been tripped in the box, to give the Aintree team the lead.

The Surrey side equalised 10 minutes into the second period, to set up a grandstand finish to a great final and Hardacre’s late winner.