A YOUNG side representing Bolton Wanderers did something the senior football team could only dream of after going down to London and beating Leicester City to win a national competition.

The boys' hockey team, assembled by Bolton Wanderers Community Trust, won all five of their games without conceding a goal in the Premier League 4 Sport national finals.

And just to prove it was no fluke, the girls' side also claimed the title, beating Wigan Athletic in the final after winning all four of their group games.

The competition, for teens aged 13 to 16, involved teams representing nine football teams and was played at the Lee Valley national hockey centre at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

After scooping two trophies, the young players capped off the day by watching stars of the international game take part in the Hero Hockey Champions Trophy.

Donna Godwyn, BWCT organiser, said: "We took a 16-strong squad down to London, with all eight of the boys coming from Bolton School, and the girls from a mix of schools, including Sharples, Canon Slade, Bury Church and Rivington and Blackrod.

"Four of the boys and three of the girls play hockey for Bolton Hockey Club, along with three of the coaching staff on the trip.

"Merging the girl’s team together using pupils from different schools seemed like a risky idea but the girls proved everyone wrong.

"They played like a team that had always played and trained together, winning all four of their group games without conceding a goal."

Wigan put up a strong challenge in the final, coming back to level with three minutes to play after Wanderers had gone 2-0 up, but the Macron outfit dug deep to clinch a dramatic 4-2 victory.

"The girls were thrilled and shocked to have won all the games like they did and are excited to continue playing hockey at local clubs," Godwyn added.

The boys breezed through three of their four games to make it to the final, but after only beating Leicester 1-0 in the group stages they expected a tight contest.

And so it proved as Wanderers sneaked victory by a single goal to take the title.

Godwyn said: "Leicester came close to scoring a few times in the opening minutes, but the boys managed to hold them off and took advantage in a lapse in concentration at the back to score the winner shortly after half time.

"They were extremely happy with their performances throughout the day and have said what a wonderful experience it was, not only to play at such an amazing venue but also to be able to watch some of the best players in the world later in the day."

Other clubs that took part in the competition included Notts County, Queens Park Rangers, Stoke City and Swansea City.

Boys' squad – Ben Turner, James Larkin, Joseph Leary, George Brennan, Elliot Mathieson, Rupert Varley, Matthew Cavaliere and Josh Marshall (all from Bolton School).

Girls' squad – Megan Heyes (Sharples), Rebecca Varney, Lauren Hughes, Katie Howarth, Imogen Hall, Emily Charleston (all Canon Slade), Grace Eaton (Bury Church) and Ceridwen Bell (Rivington and Blackrod).