Students from Coleg Gwent’s Crosskeys campus are celebrating after being crowned the winners of Welsh Colleges Women’s five-a-side football championships earlier this month.
Undefeated in their pool matches the team went on to beat Yale College 2-1 in the quarter finals, Gorseinon College 5-2 in the semi-finals and after a nail biting final, beat Neath Port Talbot College 4-3 after extra time.
Beaten in last year’s final, this year’s triumph was a just reward for the team comprising of Abi Powell, Rachel Griffiths, Ceri Hudson, Katie Burridge, Tina French, Jade Williams and Paige Hillier.
Outstanding goal keeping by Abi Powell and hat-tricks in the pool matches by Tina French and Jade Williams showed the depth of talent in the squad.
The team will now represent the Welsh team in the British Colleges National Championships, one of the biggest annual multi-sport events in the UK. The British Colleges National Championships include more than 2,500 staff and students representing different regions in 15 sporting events, and take place in April 2011.
Sports tutor Mererid Dark said: “We are delighted and proud of the success of our students who show considerable talent across a variety of sporting disciplines.
“To win the football after losing in last year’s final was fantastic, four of the team were there last year and this victory made up for last year.
“The standard of competition required to win a Welsh competition is brilliant but the standard at the national championships is always amazing as the best from the whole of the UK are competing. We wish all our students every success at the British Colleges National Championships in April.”