Sixth Form footballers chase cup success

The College’s first team beat Gateshead College 5-2, Wakefield College 4-3, Greenhead College 4-3 and North Lindsey 6-2, and have been handed a home draw against Franklin College from Grimbsy in the quarter-finals on March 13.In the County Cup, they overcame Knaresborough 4-2, Thirsk School 5-1, Stokesley School 8-3 and are set to take on St John Fisher from Harrogate in the semi-finals of that competition.Joint-coach Mark Barber, who runs the team alongside former Leeds United and Scarborough FC striker Tony Hackworth, has been delighted by the team’s progress in the cup competitions.He said: “The players have done really well in both of these competitions.“It seems like when the games and the occasions have got bigger with more pressure, they play even better and rise to it.“They have come up against some big colleges who have four or five teams, so have done well to get this far in the competitions.”Barber is confident that his side can now go all the way and win at least one of the competitions.“We’re very confident,” added Barber.“We have a lot of pace and cause defences a lot of problems and I hope that continues as we reach the latter stages of the competitions.“We have a great chance and everyone is excited.“This is our second season coaching the college’s first team. We’ve got involved and helped with recruitment too, and the improvements have been great to see.”Jonathan Newton, head of sport and performance at the College, is excited by the prospect of a home tie in the last eight of the National Cup and has been impressed with the efforts of coaches Barber and Hackworth.He said: “Mark and Tony have done a tremendous job moulding the college football teams this season. “The team is made of three second year students and all the rest are lower six students, which bodes well for the future. “It is nice to see the teams competing nationally as well as performing in the classroom, where the college is top 10% in the country for A levels and top 5% for BTECs.”