B&DYFL match of the week: FC Rangers Vixen Ice Girls v Sir Tom Finney FC Girls

Both teams are playing a year down in the B&DYFL’s Under-10 mixed league and they have made excellent progress, climbing through the tiers after joining the league at the bottom level.

The Rangers team are in their second season in the Blackpool League, while Preston side Sir Tom Finney FC moved across last summer from the Poulton and District Primary League.

They put on an excellent show at Boundary Park as Rangers boss Karl Bambrook told The Gazette: “It was a very end-to-end game and the players were evenly matched all over the pitch.

“My players have progressed really well. They absorb everything in training like sponges.

“We’ve kept a solid core of players since last season. I’ve been manager since the start and I couldn’t be more proud of them.”

Sir Tom Finney boss Thomas Waite, whose club is based at the University of Central Lancashire, said: “It was a good, physical game.

“There are a lot of boys in this league and we don’t play many teams who are all girls – and this was a really good battle.”

This is one of six girls’ teams at FC Rangers, ranging from U9s to U15s, and Karl is pleased to see the girls’ game growing, adding: “There’s a lot of interest and it’s great to see more getting involved.”

Both teams play their final match of the season this weekend, then will spend the summer preparing to step up from seven-a-side to nine for 2024-25.

Thomas said: “We’re doing well for players and we’ll probably only need one more for next season.

“We’ll try to do something each week during the summer, whether it’s a friendly, a tournament or just training.”

He named Sophia as his side’s player of the match because she really got stuck in on the wing, making good runs and delivering quality crosses.

The Rangers’ team had four players of the match, two selected by the coaches and two by the parents; they were Lexy, Jasmine, Kleo and Elliah.

At U18 level, the Hogan Plate finalists were completed last weekend as West Coast Sports Ravens went head to head with Clifton Rangers Bees.

The game ended 2-2 with Ravens’ scorers being Mason Hutton and Aiden Henson, while Coby Williams and Noah Maclaren were on target for the Bees.

It meant the game went to penalties with the Ravens coming out on top, 4-2, and they will now face Wyre Juniors Diamonds in the final.

In the league, FC Rangers U17s’ were held 2-2 in their match at Staining.

Kaleb Deans and Jack Ashton scored for the hosts, while Tyrese Peltier and Karson Dean did likewise for FC Rangers.

Goals from Ewan Woodhouse, Eddie Manson, Ryan Butters and Ethan Rogers gave Poulton FC Blacks a 4-2 victory over Clifton Rangers Hornets, for whom Reece Kolahi and Luke Smith scored.