Pitch perfect juniors prove unstoppable

There is no denying the size of both of those achievements, but how about going a whole season having won every single league game?

Wyrley Rangers Under-11s have managed it in their first season in the nine-a-side format.

Competing in the Walsall Junior Youth League (WJYL), the young stars won Group B in the Autumn Trophy, Group Azteca in the Winter Trophy and Group Stiles in the Spring Trophy.

"I can't believe it, to be honest with you," said under-11s manager Lee Collins, who took charge of the team during pre-season.

"The previous manager packed in at the end of last season and we were seven-a-side then, so the lads were going into their first season in the nine-a-side format.

"We only had seven players so we advertised and there are lads from all over with us; a couple from Tamworth and a couple from Sedgley and it has just managed to click into place.

"We won all of our pre-season games, eight games, and then we won our first game of the season in the dying seconds and it has all followed on from there."

Across the three Trophy successes, Rangers played 17 games, scored a whopping 88 goals and conceding just 18 times.

What makes their achievement even more remarkable though is that it has come completely out of the blue as in the seasons prior to this one, Rangers struggled to find consistency and were often on the losing end.

But they saw off the likes of Bustlehome Baggies, Brewood Juniors and Lane Head Panthers this term and were named the WJYL's team of the month on four occasions.

They won the Yorkshire Football Festival for their age group at the Flamingo Land resort earlier this month, and were even handed the sportsmanship cup at the tournament.

"We have had a lot of outstanding performances, we have gone up against teams who have beaten us, and beaten us well, in previous seasons and managed to turn them over," said Collins.

"We went to the Yorkshire Football Festival as well earlier this month and we managed to win that too.

"People might think we are bragging but we are not at all.

"We have been the whipping boys for years so we pinch ourselves all of the time."

Rangers wrapped up the Spring Trophy campaign in style last Sunday with a 13-1 victory over Sneyd All Stars Alpha.

On the day before, they were involved in a tournament in Shrewsbury, winning all five games in the group stage against the likes of The New Saints and Shrewsbury Town before being knocked out in the semi-finals by Cresswell Wanderers.

Although Collins realises his side's feat is going to prove hugely difficult to repeat, he feels if they can continue to work as hard as they have done all season, they will continue to make progress.

"What people don't realise as well is that a lot of teams don't really like to train over the Christmas period," he added.

"Our lads trained three times over Christmas and in pre-season they were hill running over Cannock Chase as well.

"That is what has pleased me the most about it all, they train every week, twice a week, they always put so much effort into it all and they love it.

"I think the fact none of them go to the same school plays a part too, they love getting together on a Tuesday, Friday and Sunday. There is a real team spirit here.

"I doubt we will be able to do it again but if they keep putting the effort in, they have got that winning feeling now, they hate losing, so they can continue to push on."