Teesside junior football chiefs postpone Under 9 girls' cup final due to clash with Hartlepool players' first Holy Communion

By Mark Payne
Published 10th May 2024, 04:45 BST
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A girl’s football team’s prayers were answered when league bosses agreed to reschedule a cup final due to a clash with several players’ first Holy Communion.

FC Hartlepool Under 9s were due to take on a Norton side in the Teesside Junior Football Alliance league cup final in Middlesbrough on Saturday after a successful season.

But it was also the same day that six of the FC Hartlepool side were to take their first Holy Communion in Hartlepool.

After appeals to the league the match has been rescheduled.

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Six members of FC Hartlepool Under 9s at their first Holy Communion: Norah Robinson, Elyse O’Connell, Aria Wallace, Emily foreman, Jorgina Clark and Scarlett Nixon.Six members of FC Hartlepool Under 9s at their first Holy Communion: Norah Robinson, Elyse O’Connell, Aria Wallace, Emily foreman, Jorgina Clark and Scarlett Nixon.
Six members of FC Hartlepool Under 9s at their first Holy Communion: Norah Robinson, Elyse O’Connell, Aria Wallace, Emily foreman, Jorgina Clark and Scarlett Nixon.

FC Hartlepool Under 9s coach Becky Robinson said: “The girls were obviously upset because the kick off was 45 minutes after they were due to finish their Holy Communion service and there was a celebration afterwards.

"The girls wanted to do both. It was a nightmare. We were picturing them running out of the church putting their football gear on.”

The league initially tried to work around the clash by offering to change the kick off time.

But following further requests on behalf of the FC Hartlepool side, they agreed to reschedule.

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FC Hartlepool Under 9's featuring Norah Robinson, Elyse O’Connell, Aria Wallace, Emily foreman, Jorgina Clark, Scarlett Nixon, Amber Malone, Hattie Thompson, Grace Duncan and Hannah Wright.FC Hartlepool Under 9's featuring Norah Robinson, Elyse O’Connell, Aria Wallace, Emily foreman, Jorgina Clark, Scarlett Nixon, Amber Malone, Hattie Thompson, Grace Duncan and Hannah Wright.
FC Hartlepool Under 9's featuring Norah Robinson, Elyse O’Connell, Aria Wallace, Emily foreman, Jorgina Clark, Scarlett Nixon, Amber Malone, Hattie Thompson, Grace Duncan and Hannah Wright.

Becky added: “The league had never come across it before. If it was just one or two children it’s just unfortunate, but when it’s pretty much half the team.

"Both events should be really special. Doing both on the same day wasn’t going to be enjoyable either way.”

First Holy Communion is a momentous occasion in the life of a child and is the second of the three Sacraments of Initiation which complete their membership to the Catholic community.

The girls started taking their lessons last September, around the same time that the new football league kicked off.

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The Holy Communion service took place at St Joseph’s Church, in St Paul’s Road, on Saturday morning followed by a party at a local social club afterwards.

Becky, whose nine-year-old daughter, Norah Robinson, was one of the girls, added: “It was a really positive outcome in the end.

"We are very thankful to the league. Fair play to them. They listened."

The date of the rescheduled cup final has not yet been decided.

The Teesside Junior Football Alliance declined to comment.

Related topics:Becky RobinsonTeessideHartlepoolNortonMiddlesbrough

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