Utilita Girls Cup Area Finals: National Academy’s Proud Journey

National Academy proudly represented Mansfield Town at the Utilita Girls Cup Area Finals, hosted by Derby County Community Trust, in what proved to be a memorable and hard-fought day of football.

Having being victorious at our local finals back in November, the girls arrived full of confidence and determination, ready to test themselves against some of the strongest schools in the region. The level of competition was high all day, with every game testing the girls in different ways.

A Strong Start on the Big Stage

National Academy were drawn into a challenging group, facing Leicester City, Chesterfield, Sheffield United, Burton Albion, Derby County, Sheffield Wednesday, and Notts County. They met the challenge head-on, showing real quality on the ball and strong character when it mattered most.

Area Finals Results

• Leicester City 2–0 Mansfield Town

• Mansfield Town 1–0 Chesterfield

• Mansfield Town 2–0 Sheffield United

• Mansfield Town 3–0 Burton Albion

• Mansfield Town 1–1 Derby County

• Sheffield Wednesday 1–0 Mansfield Town

• Mansfield Town 2–0 Notts County

  
  

Each victory was built on strong teamwork, with composure in possession and plenty of hard work off the ball.The draw against hosts Derby County was a particularly tense encounter, while the clean-sheet wins highlighted the squad’s defensive strength.

Semi-Final Heartbreak

Finishing strongly, National Academy progressed to the semi-finals, edging ever closer to the dream representing Mansfield Town in the next round and then the eventual prize of playing at Wembley. Unfortunately, the journey came to an end with a 3–0 defeat, a result that didn’t fully reflect the effort and commitment shown by the girls throughout the day.

While the disappointment was clear, so too was the pride. Reaching the semi-finals of the Utilita Girls Cup Area Finals is a fantastic achievement and one that reflects the hard work put in by players and staff alike.

Proud to Represent Mansfield Town

Every player represented Mansfield Town with pride, professionalism, and passion. Their attitude on and off the pitch was outstanding, and they should be incredibly proud of what they achieved.

A huge thank you to Derby County Community Trust for hosting a well-organised and competitive event, and congratulations to all teams involved.

This may be the end of the Wembley dream for this season, but the experience gained and memories made will stay with the girls for a long time. Well done, National Academy, you did Mansfield Town proud and mostly importantly yourselves!