A RECORD number of teams competed in this year's Westbury Youth six-a-sidetournament.

The annual tournament, which has been running for more than 10 years, was played on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Matravers School in Westbury.

Teams from as far as Cheltenham, Gloucester, Bristol, Swindon, Portsmouth and Salisbury played in nine different age groups, with the under sevens and under eights playing in a non-competitive festival of football with all players receiving medals.

It was five-a-side for under sevens, eights, 14s and 15s and six-a-side forunder nines, 10s, 11s, 12s and 13s.

The pick of the local sides were Melksham Town Youth who won the under 13s competition and who were runners-up in the under 11s group. The tournament was supported by Community First and Sustain the Plain, which is a £2 million rural grants programme which has been running since 2002 andends in September this year.

Westbury Youth Football Club chairman Tony McDonald, who has been in the role since 2000, said: "We were extremely lucky with the weather.

"It was a little bit damp for an hour or to on Saturday morning but apart from that it was fine.

"We had about 206 teams competing over the weekend and I could have had 240 playing to be honest but we just ran out of space.

"In terms of entrants this was our highest yet and the number of people attending over the weekend including players and spectators must have been between 3,000 and 5,000.

"It was an extremely enjoyable tournament for all concerned."

Mr McDonald added: "We had teams from far and wide including Cheltenham, Gloucester, Bristol, Swindon, Portsmouth and Salisbury.

"Some of the teams people won't recognise but we've had teams from Surrey, London and Southampton in the past."

"The quality of football was excellent and it was good for the local teams to play against teams from other counties as it gives them an idea of howgood they and he local teams performed really well.

"All the teams who won in their age group were very impressive because they were a minimum of 20 teams in each age group.

"There was a lot of good football played but sometimes it comes down to a bit of luck in tournament games.

"We were extremely fortunate to receive some financial support form Community First and the Sustain the Plain grant, who gave us a very generous donation as well as their full support to the tournament.

"Any profit made from the tournament will go straight back into the football club and to the children, which is great."

RESULTS

  • Under 7s and under 8s played in a festival of football, which are none competitve games.
  • Under 9s: FC Lakeside 2, Warminster Highbury 1.
  • Under 10s: Peasedown Athletic 0, Trowbridge Town Youth 0 (Peasedown won onpenalties).
  • Under 11s: Larkhall Athletic 1, Melksham Town Youth 0.
  • Under 12s: Avon Athletic 0, Bristol Rovers Supporters Junior FC 2.
  • Under 13s: Melksham Town Youth 2, Croft 0.
  • Under 14s: Stoke Lane A 3, Stoke Lane B 0.
  • Under 15s: Nova Hreod 1, Pewsham 0.