Port Vale’s representative in the Football League Girls’ Cup, St Margaret’s Academy, were unfortunate to miss out on a semi-final place in the regional stage of the competition.

The secondary school won this year’s local tournament, run by the Club’s Foundation Trust, and the chance to represent the Valiants at Shrewsbury Town last week.

The winner of the regional stage would go on to represent their club at Wembley in the grand final prior to the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy final later this year.

“The girls were extremely excited to have the opportunity of playing for and representing the Club but also to play at Shrewsbury Town,” said St Margaret’s coach Deanna Schultz.

“They had the opportunity if they won that to go to Wembley as well so they were really up for it and excited.”

Despite a late comeback in their first game, St Margaret’s were beaten 4-3 but performed well in their other matches, winning one and drawing the other.

“They did really well,” she added. “We narrowly missed out in the first game after coming back from four-nil down to four-three.

“It was a really exciting game but I think if we’d have played that team later on in the tournament once we’d warmed up I think we would have done really well.

“We just narrowly missed out on a semi-final place by one point, which is a shame but it’s just one of those things.

“That team that we lost four-three to actually went on to win the final and went on to get through to final.

“The girls were obviously disappointed they didn’t get through to the semi-final but they really enjoyed it and had some really good games and played really well against the other teams.”

For their efforts, the girls were rewarded at an assembly by Port Vale defender Adam Yates and Foundation Trust Manager Tom Sherratt (pictured above).