Fantastic footballers from Clifton Without Primary School in York may well have paved the way for Real Madrid's famous victory at Old Trafford on Wednesday.

ON THE FAMOUS TURF: The Clifton Without team on the hallowed Manchester United pitch, from left, Liam Spencer, James Ellerby, Micky Warriner, Scott McCrorie, Matthew Pallister, Mark Knott, Tim Bolt and James Heslop

Few sides leave the home of Manchester United without having suffered a defeat, but the York youngsters did, four days before Real's shock Champions League win.

And in doing so, the kingly Clifton kids became, in effect, the Primary School six-a-side champions of England.

The talented York team went to Old Trafford to take part in the national finals of a primary schools' seven-a-side competition, having earlier won through local, regional and North of England finals.

And - before watching Premiership champions Manchester United thrash Sunderland 4-0 - they became joint winners of their major nationwide competition, in which 8,000 schools had competed.

It was the first time a team from York had ever won this prestigious 25-year-old competition - indeed it was the first time a York team had made it through the regional stage.

And they rose to the big occasion in style. Competing as the North of England champions, they firstly beat a Nottingham school team, who had qualified for the last four as representatives from the Midlands, in the semi-finals, by a single goal.

They then came face to face with the South West champions from Oxford in the final, and drew the match to share the winners' trophy.

Michael Warriner had superbly set up James Heslop to deservedly send Clifton through to the final, and his goal goal proved to be the only strike by a non-Manchester United player that day.

Goalkeeper Scott McCrorie was in excellent form in the hard-fought final, and helped to keep it goalless as the two sides jointly lifted the trophy in front of 60,000 appreciative fans.

The squad had travelled to Manchester on Friday, staying overnight at the Post House Hotel, and after their final were presented with boots, a football strip for the school and their medals by sponsors Adidas Predator.

Teacher and coach Adam Cooper said: "This is a tremendous achievement. It is many people's dream to go the Old Trafford, so to play on the pitch is unbelievable.

"I don't think the players will fully appreciate what they have achieved for many years. The boys are extremely talented and have worked hard all season, and they deserve full credit for their outstanding success."

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