THE Hartpury Junior Academy make the long trip north to Morecambe FC on Wednesday, March 17 to play Gateshead College in the final of the England Schools Football Association National Colleges Cup.

This is the second year in succession that the Hartpury Juniors have made it through to the ESFA final, and will be keen to retain the title they won only 12 months ago when they beat Hopwood Hall College from Rochdale.

This year's run to Morecambe has been a tough one, with the team negotiating their way through six rounds before reaching the final.

Hartpury's quest to retain the trophy began back in September with a comfortable 6-0 away win at St Brendan's sixth form from Bristol.

The team then travelled to local rivals Filton College and battled through to a narrow 1-0 win before comprehensively dispatching Cirencester College 4-1 at home in round three.

Another home game, this time against Yeovil College, came next and another comfortable 6-1 victory was recorded.

Hartpury then faced a strong Amersham and Wycombe College in the quarter-finals where after being held 1-1 at half-time they powered through in the second half to win 4-1.

The semi-final against Farnborough Sixth Form was a more straightforward victory as another fine attacking display was rewarded with a 6-1 win and a place in the final.

A feature of the teams' cup successes this season has been their ability to score goals, with 26 registered so far in the six games leading up to the final. The front pairing of Bismark Kwarteng and Jack Wood have been a key element within the side, contributing 14 goals between them so far.

Together with the forward players, the Hartpury team also boasts two of the current England Schoolboy squad, with midfielder and Captain Nick Hancock included along with full back Thomas Boakye both in the recently announced 18-man squad.

Hancock was also captain of last year's victorious ESFA team and together with fellow second years Adam Mann, Ben Parry and Jordan Humphrey has the chance of lifting the trophy for a second time.