Learning exercise against top opposition for Wiltshire girls (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Learning exercise against top opposition for Wiltshire girls

4:42pm Thursday 22nd December 2005 in Football

WILTSHIRE Centre of Excellence's girls' football tournament at Chippenham's Stanley Park was a useful learning exercise for the hosts.

More than 200 spectators came to watch the round-robin tournaments between Wiltshire, Somerset and Swansea City's Centre of Excellences on Sunday.

Although the Wiltshire sides failed to register a win, there were some encouraging performances for the centre, which has been running for only two years.

Wiltshire Women's and Girls' Football Development Officer Bev Maull was delighted the day ran so well.

She said: "The day itself went fantastically. All the parents came out, although they do wherever we play.

"They are so keen for their girls' to play and this was a difficult set of matches because the level is higher than club football.

"We were also playing Swansea City, who play together as a team on a regular basis. They play against sides such as Arsenal and other clubs, so are at a higher standard.

"But we played well and this is a learning curve for the players. They have not been together for long and a lot of players changed age groups in the summer so we've done well.

"We are hoping to hold another tournament at Stanley Park in Easter, which will show us how far we have come in that time."

Wiltshire fielded four age groups in the tournament with a special Wiltshire Girls League Representative side in the U10s against Swansea City and a centre of excellence side in each of the U12, U14 and U16 three-team tournaments.

Maull praised Stanley Park's facilities for being able to cope with the event.

She said: "It is the only venue in the area that has as many pitches as we needed with the changing facilities as well. The pitches were excellent and we are already working on a future tournament.

"This was only the second festival we have run and we are glad it passed off successfully.

"Girls' football is one of the fastest growing sports and overtook netball for female participation this year.

"The number of teams in the Wiltshire League keeps on growing and hopefully we will have some good young players coming through that we can put into the U18s and senior county side in the next few years."

Chippenham Town Council's Football Development Officer Duncan Fisher said he would be delighted to hold another event at Easter, hopefully bigger and better.

He said: "We would definitely like to be involved. Girls' football is still one of the fastest growing sports and there are a lot of teams around here. I would love to bring the best players in the South West to Stanley Park."

Wiltshire's next fixture is in Gloucestershire at Hartpury College in January.