Just the thought of combining the temperamental teenage forces of 22 13-year-old girls with a competitive atmosphere sends parents and teachers scurrying for sanctuary.

They know it'll all end in tears. But not at York City Ladies Under-14s.

Formed in the summer after Hamilton Panthers U12s girls' coach Robert Pearson decided to create a place for girls to progress to beyond the 7-a-side Connexions League, this team have gone from nothing to potential champions in months.

It's amazing what happens when you get every head focused in the same direction. Call it team spirit.

"We have girls from Harrogate, Malton, Selby and Easingwold so they all travel in," said Pearson. "By the time the Kick Start programme had finished and the team was established, I was amazed by how quickly they all got on MSN Messenger and they were all the best of friends.

"They know how well they are doing and they all feel part of something - especially since we got the training tops and jackets, which are sponsored by Shambles Butchers.

"The parents have started complaining they can't get them out of them."

York City Ladies U14s joined the East Riding League but after realising there were only six teams, they went cross-county to join the RAF-backed West Riding U14s Girls League with 22 teams in two divisions.

Their first ever 11-a-side game, a friendly against the league secretary's team - and outgoing champions - ended 6-1 to the older U15s.

But the secretary was so impressed by what he had seen, he offered the York side a passport to the top tier.

A few months on, they have won five and lost just one of their eight league games to date, are two points behind Bradford with a game in hand and they are the top scorers.

"When we started the season our first aim was 'let's just stay in division one'," said Pearson. "But quite early on we were thinking about finishing mid-table and now we are talking about a probable top-three place.

"We can also see the cup final looming. If all the girls are available, there's nothing to say we can't make the final."

The route to the final - at a professional ground in West Yorkshire - continues tomorrow with a quarter-final against fourth-placed Rothwell Town (Oaklands School, 11am). A win will pitch them at leaders Bradford City or Hebden Bridge.

Off-pitch progress has been as rapid with the combined York City Ladies set-up receiving FA Charter Standard status at the first time of asking.

After this season, the U14s - who will not be able to play open-age football until they are 16 because of an FA rules shift - will become U15s and a new U13s will start up.

Eventually, they will become the lifeblood of the two ladies squads - the first team currently second in the North East Regional Women's Division One South, the reserves top of the North Riding County League. One 13-year-old is aiming for a US university scholarship. Another could hit the professional game.

Must be that teenage spirit.

Updated: 09:59 Saturday, January 07, 2006