Penalty Shootout Heartbreak For Paignton Academy

A PENALTY shootout defeat was all that kept a team of Paignton Academy students away from claiming the bronze medals in a six-a-side football tournament at the Devon FA Headquarters in Newton Abbot.

Fourteen Year 7 students from the Academy took part in the competition on Friday 24th February and were split between two teams. 

One of these sides flew through a five-team group stage – achieving 4-0 and 3-0 wins along the way thanks to three goals apiece from Paignton’s player-of-the-tournament Finn Botten and Charlie Robinson plus another from Isaac Kendall – and just missed out on top spot on goal difference. 

This set up a third-place play-off with Mount Tamar School, who finished second in the other group. It turned out to be a tense game which ended goalless and went to the lottery of penalties, with each side set to take three spot-kicks each. 

In the shootout, Paignton goalkeeper Miller Care produced an instinctive diving save to thwart Mount Tamar’s first spot-kick before Finn smashed his penalty into the top-right corner to fire our team – which also included most improved performer Oliver Chivers, Oscar Rogers and Aimee Willicott – in front. However, it was not to be as the side from Plymouth went on to win 2-1 on penalties to take the bronze medals.

Trip leader Mr Stacey said: “The students were disappointed that they didn’t claim a medal but all of the players in both of the teams we entered should be extremely proud of their efforts. They certainly seemed to enjoy the occasion, which is of greatest importance, and we’ll look to enter teams in the next tournament in the summer term.”

The other team representing the Academy in the competition finished eighth overall. Archie Stevens was named as the player-of-the-tournament for that side while Thady Lock was considered to have made the most improvement as the competition progressed.

Also representing the Academy were: Chloe Nugent; Tommy Perry; Iggy Pursglove; Noah Shaw; Tobie Wagstaffe.