READING Blue Coat’s football teams have had an excellent season, with the school’s 1st XI winning two competitions and finishing runners-up in another, and the Under 13s winning their County Cup final.

The 1st XI won a tight Gibbs Cup final by defeating St Bernard’s Grammar School Slough 1-0 at Thatcham Town, with the goal fittingly being scored by outgoing captain Luke Hayden.

Although playing below his usual standards due to a back injury, he scored the decisive goal towards the end of the first half.

While St Bernard’s represented a threat for periods of the match, Blue Coat goalkeeper Dan Algar did not have a save to make from start to finish; a series of headers and shots went wide, and some blocked shots represented the Slough team’s best efforts, whilst cooler finishing from Blue Coat’s Ollie Vickery and Mike Green amongst others could have made the result look much more comfortable for the Sonning team.

The win was a fitting send off for those playing their last match for the school – Hayden, Cally Brighton, Ben Cole, Ollie Vickery, James Kirkwood, James McGonigle, Zac Moffatt, Will Howell and Matt Montgomery.

It came on the back of winning the Thames Valley League and finishing as runners-up in the County Cup.

Blue Coat’s Director of Sport, Bill Voice, said: “These boys have all been a pleasure to work with and have made being 1st XI coach look easy, but I am aware of the talent in the squad.

“Two Thames Valley League championships, two Gibbs Cup finals – a tournament the school had never won until 2013, and now twice in a row – and two Berkshire County Cup finals, with only one lost to penalties marks two fabulous seasons.

“I think it may be a while before we see the like again, and it might actually be a good point to retire as 1st XI coach.”

Meanwhile, a superb performance by the U13s ensured they lifted the County Cup for the second successive year.

In a tremendous match against the Piggott School at Thatcham Town, the team reversed the result from the March fixture, the only defeat this team had suffered all season.

Two goals midway through the first half, by Jack Webb and James Hayden, sealed the win.

Team coach Simon Cook said: “This is a very talented squad of players who, with their current approach, can only continue to excel.

“They have been a pleasure to coach, with their ability and obvious enjoyment of the game.

"The next football season cannot come quickly enough for us.”